Scam Attempt Thwarted by Alert Banker

A scheme intended to electronically steal money from an area business failed recently, due to the diligence of a bank.

Detective Tyler Wheeler of the Marion County Sheriff's Office says the attempted scam involved a compromised Yahoo e-mail account.  The victim was a small business that had been utilizing Yahoo for business purposes.

Officers say the hackers obtained banking information and e-mailed the business’s bank requesting a certain amount of money be wired to an undisclosed location out of state.  The bank red-flagged the account and contacted the business owner, who denied the transaction.

The Sheriff’s Office recommends secure e-mail accounts for personal and business use, and if you need to wire money, go to the bank in person.