Current:Home > NewsVolunteer fire department sees $220,000 raised for ambulances disappear in cyber crime-InfoLens
Volunteer fire department sees $220,000 raised for ambulances disappear in cyber crime
View Date:2024-12-23 18:06:08
Around $220,000 was stolen from a Maryland volunteer fire department in a cyber-attack last month, according to a report put out by the Rockville station.
The money was being held for the purchase of two new ambulances the department desperately needs, the release states. It was taken by criminals impersonating a vendor working with the station to secure the new vehicles.
A bad actor intercepted the wire transfer email thread to slightly change the bank routing number to send the transfer to London.
“If you looked at it and followed the string, you’d have to look very, very closely to see that one letter was changed in the email string," Eric Bernard, the president of the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department said in an interview with WJLA.
"The email string continued for a while. We made the wire and five days went by and our vendor said 'Hey you gonna finish that wire we were on the phone (about),'” Bernard said.
Half of the money has since been recovered
Half the department's money has been recovered, according to the news release from the station.
The Montgomery County Police Department was contacted as soon as the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department caught on to what was going on. The United States Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation were brought in on the incident as well.
More than 80% of what the RVFD deals with is Emergency Medical Services, WJLA reported.
Last year the RVFD had "a total of 14,662 unit responses making Rockville Volunteers some of the most active firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics in the nation," according to the release.
"Thanks to decades of generosity from the community RVFD serves, we remain in a strong financial position to both complete this purchase and to continue operations as normal," The RVFD reported.
Those interested in helping replenish the department's funds can visit www.rvfd.org/donate. A GoFundMe is being set up and will be live soon.
veryGood! (15)
Related
- What’s the secret to growing strong, healthy nails?
- Today’s Climate: June 30, 2010
- Today’s Climate: June 25, 2010
- New York business owner charged with attacking police with insecticide at the Capitol on Jan. 6
- College Football Playoff ranking release: Army, Georgia lead winners and losers
- Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story’s Arsema Thomas Teases Her Favorite “Graphic” Scene
- Save $423 on an HP Laptop and Get 1 Year of Microsoft Office and Wireless Mouse for Free
- Human cells in a rat's brain could shed light on autism and ADHD
- Mike Tomlin's widely questioned QB switch to Russell Wilson has quieted Steelers' critics
- California’s Methane Leak Passes 100 Days, and Other Sobering Numbers
Ranking
- Tampa Bay Rays' Wander Franco arrested again in Dominican Republic, according to reports
- Sea Level Rise Threatens to Wipe Out West Coast Wetlands
- 10 Gift Baskets That Will Arrive Just in Time for Mother’s Day
- Matty Healy Joins Phoebe Bridgers Onstage as She Opens for Taylor Swift on Eras Tour
- Drone footage captures scope of damage, destruction from deadly Louisville explosion
- Millions of Americans are losing access to maternal care. Here's what can be done
- The fearless midwives of Pakistan: In the face of floods, they do not give up
- 15 Practical Mother's Day Gifts She'll Actually Use
Recommendation
-
Fantasy football waiver wire: 10 players to add for NFL Week 11
-
Uganda has locked down two districts in a bid to stem the spread of Ebola
-
Picking a good health insurance plan can be confusing. Here's what to keep in mind
-
Warm Arctic? Expect Northeast Blizzards: What 7 Decades of Weather Data Show
-
Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul press conference highlights: 'Problem Child' goads 'Iron Mike'
-
Dearest Readers, Let's Fact-Check Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, Shall We?
-
Sea Level Rise Will Rapidly Worsen Coastal Flooding in Coming Decades, NOAA Warns
-
How does air quality affect our health? Doctors explain the potential impacts