Threat Management

Phishing scam targets Michigan public schools

A Michigan public school district is the focus of a phishing scheme that almost allowed unknown attackers to steal more than $163,000.

The hackers took control of the finance director's email to send a phishing email to an accounting clerk within the Caledonia Public Schools district, according to a local news station. The email asked about available balances in the schools' accounts.

Because the email came directly from the finance director's account, the clerk replied with a file containing the balances along with account numbers. Following that exchange, multiple emails directed the clerk to complete wire transactions.

After the clerk sent a $8,500 transfer, prompting a query by the finance director, the scam was discovered.

Banks in both Pennsylvania and Florida were affected, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is looking into the case.

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