City of Sandpoint again impersonated in fraud attempt

SANDPOINT — In a Wednesday public message, Sandpoint staff announced that the city has once again been impersonated by a scammer seeking to defraud local businesses. No money has been reported to be lost. 

The deceptive messaging campaign appears to be similar to a December 2024 scam in which a fraudster unsuccessfully tried to solicit a $25,000 payment from a local developer by impersonating a city staff member over email.

Earlier in 2024, the city of Clark Fork was targeted in a similar attack, in which a scammer impersonating a construction company’s manager defrauded the city of $483,000. 

In April 2025, Clark Fork Mayor Russell Schenck reported that $192,000 of the lost funds was back in city hands thanks to efforts conducted by Clark Fork’s bank. An investigation of the incident is ongoing. 

In wake of the renewed scam attempt, Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm urged residents to examine electronic messages carefully. 

"The public needs to be aware that these scams are prevalent. These types of email messages can come across as entirely genuine, reflecting an urgency that could compel even the most vigilant among us to act,” he wrote. “Always double-check the sender’s email address, scrutinize any message requesting payment or sensitive information and, if in doubt, pick up the phone and call the person who sent it.”