ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. (WFLA) — The City of St. Pete Beach is warning residents of a scheme targeting zoning or planning applicants for money.

The most recent instance involved a business owner who had asked the city for a permit to put a balcony on their restaurant. They reported the email.

Channel 8 spoke to another business owner who says scams are becoming more commonplace.

"We get cold calls all day long, we get text messages and emails,” said John Brooks Murray, owner of Baywaters Apartments.

"Everyone knows each other, so we watch out for each other," Murray said.

He said they try as hard as they can to stay on top of it by staying connected, but he was unaware of another scheme posing as the city to target homeowners and business owners trying to expand or build on their propert

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