ARLINGTON, Va. — County officials are warning businesses and nonprofits to stay alert after a new email scam began circulating this week that poses as a trusted local office.
The Arlington County Treasurer’s Office says it has identified fraudulent emails that appear to come from Treasurer Carla de la Pava. The messages, often sent to local organizations, carry the subject line: “Arlington County Virginia/Vendor Payment.”
But officials say the emails are fake—and designed to trick recipients into sending money.
Here’s the key point: the Treasurer’s Office will never ask a business or taxpayer to pay a vendor on the county’s behalf or assist with financial transactions like this.
“These messages are not legitimate,” the office said, stressing that recipients should not engage with them in any way.
If you receive one of these emails:
- Do not reply
- Do not click links or download attachments
- Do not send money or share financial information
Instead, delete the message and report it as spam.
Officials say the scam appears targeted, focusing mainly on Arlington-based nonprofits and businesses—groups that regularly handle vendor payments and could be more vulnerable to a convincing request.
If you’ve already interacted with one of these emails or think your information may have been compromised, take action quickly. Contact your bank and report the incident to local authorities.
For anyone unsure about a message claiming to be from the Treasurer’s Office, you can verify it directly by reaching out to them at Treasurer@arlingtonva.us.
County leaders say this is part of a broader pattern of increasingly sophisticated scams and are urging residents and organizations to slow down and double-check before responding to any unexpected financial request.
Bottom line: if something feels off, it probably is.