Ramat HaSharon Developer Falls Victim to Sophisticated Municipal Tax Scam
A real estate developer in Ramat HaSharon lost over 120,000 shekels after scammers posing as municipal officials sent fraudulent water and sewage levy payment vouchers via WhatsApp.
A construction project in Ramat HaSharon turned into a costly financial scam after developer Shiri Roth Gal fell victim to a sophisticated impersonation fraud. The perpetrators posed as municipal engineering department representatives, sending seemingly authentic payment vouchers for water and sewage levies via WhatsApp.
The Anatomy of the Scam
The fraudsters contacted the project's authorized representative, demonstrating precise inside knowledge of the development's timeline and the exact ownership details. Believing the request was legitimate, Roth Gal transferred 122,000 shekels to what she assumed was a municipal account.
However, the scammers returned a week later demanding an additional quarter of a million shekels for a secondary levy. The second payment request raised immediate red flags when the designated bank account shifted from Bank Leumi to Mizrahi-Tefahot, with a branch located in Dimona.
When you make a bank transfer and correctly enter the account number, bank number, and branch number, you can write 'to the order of my beloved dog Max' and the transfer will still go through, Roth Gal noted.
Flaws in Banking Security
When Roth Gal and her partners approached the municipality, they were informed that municipal authorities were already aware of a broader wave of such scams targeting contractors across several local councils. Subsequent inquiries with the banks and the Israel Police yielded little recourse, as the funds were promptly withdrawn.
Victims are now exploring legal options, including a potential class-action lawsuit against banking institutions over security protocols regarding beneficiary name verification. Municipal officials and law enforcement advise developers to completely bypass digital messaging channels and settle all municipal levies strictly through physical visits to city hall.
