Delaware Warns of Fake DNREC Permit Fee Scams
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control says scammers are impersonating its staff to demand permit payments by email and phone.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Cybersecurity
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The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) warned permit holders and applicants about fraudulent emails and phone calls requesting permit fee payments. Some fake messages include real permit application numbers, fee amounts and staff names.
Why it matters
Residents and businesses that hold or seek state environmental permits could lose money by sending payments to scammers. The warning also shows how criminals can use publicly available agency notices to make phishing messages look legitimate.
DNREC identified phishing attempts from delaware-dnrec@usa.com, dnrec.delaware@usa.com and DNREC.de@usa.com, while legitimate state agency addresses end in @delaware.gov. The agency has not disclosed how many recipients were targeted or how much money has been lost.
The players
Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC)
The state agency that regulates environmental protection, natural resources and permits across Delaware, and which issued the warning about the fraudulent messages.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
The United States federal law enforcement agency that investigates cybercrime and that issued a bulletin in March 2026 about scams using the usa.com domain.
The details
Scam emails and calls impersonate DNREC staff and falsely claim that a permit requires an additional fee or that a holder is behind on payments. The messages demand payment through a link to a fake website and say checks are not accepted; DNREC says it does not request permit or licensing payments by email or phone and that fees are paid through its website or in person at agency offices, including Delaware State Parks.
Timeline
- March 2026: The FBI issued a bulletin about scams using the usa.com domain.
- November 12, 2026: DNREC published its warning about fraudulent permit fee emails and calls.
Seasonal Patterns
The DNREC warning follows the FBI's March 2026 bulletin on scams using the usa.com domain, showing that the same fraud pattern is now being used against state agency permit holders. Delaware's warning extends that federal alert from general cybercrime into specific state-level permit payments.
Permit holders and applicants should pay fees only through the DNREC website or in person at agency offices, and should not send money based on an email or phone call. Anyone who receives a suspicious message should check that the sender address ends in @delaware.gov before taking any action.
The takeaway
Official-looking messages can contain real application numbers and staff names, so verify any payment request through the agency's official website or phone line. Legitimate Delaware state agency email addresses end in @delaware.gov.
Further reading
For more on how criminals copy official agency communications, see Cybersecurity coverage.
More information
Read the FBI bulletin on usa.com domain scams from the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
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