On July 30, 2024, the U.S. EPA Office of Inspector General issued a fraud alert to bring attention to an increasing number of companies reporting that they have received fraudulent EPA Notice of Violation letters demanding payment. Businesses have received these fraudulent letters through email and U.S. Postal Service mail. The letters allege that the target business violated an environmental regulation, such as the Clean Air Act or Clean Water Act. The contact information provided – invoice@epa.services – is not associated with the EPA. Official U.S. government organizations only use the “.gov” domain name.

If you have received a Notice of Violation and are concerned about its validity or have other questions or concerns, consider consulting experienced legal counsel. You can also contact the U.S. EPA’s enforcement office at OECA_Communications@epa.gov with any concerns regarding potentially fraudulent letters.

The U.S. EPA’s Office of Inspector General’s Hotline ((888) 546-8740 or OIG.Hotline@epa.gov) is always available if you believe you have been the victim of fraud or have knowledge of potential waste, fraud, or abuse involving EPA operations and programs.