Tax Dollars Stolen in Cybersecurity Attack in New Hampshire

The U.S. Secret Service Cyber Fraud Task Force is investigating an internet crime that resulted in $2.3 million stolen from the taxpayers of Peterborough, New Hampshire. On July 26th, town officials discovered that Conval School District hadn’t received their monthly transfer of $1.2 million from the town. It was quickly concluded that the town had been a victim of email-based fraud. 

In a Facebook post, the town said, “the ​​ATOM Group and the town’s IT staff were able to identify email exchanges between finance department staff and thieves posing as ConVal School District staff using forged documents and email accounts but were not immediately able to identify who had perpetrated the fraud.” The town has also said it is not possible to reverse the transactions and that it is still unclear whether insurance will be able to cover the loss. 

Select Board Member William Kennedy told NBC10 Boston, “They were apparently just poised to catch us at a vulnerable time. This is a common thing. We transfer funds to ConVal on a monthly basis. This was an automated process. They caught us at a weak moment.”

How SkyTerra Can Protect Your Data

We hate to see cybersecurity threats in our own backyard but it goes to show anyone, including government organizations, can be vulnerable without the proper protection. Cyber criminals will use any data they can get their hands on to make money. Don’t get caught in a weak moment. 

Our cybersecurity services can keep you safe from threats like this cybersecurity attack in New Hampshire. SkyTerra’s Endpoint Cybersecurity services can provide a centralized approach to mitigating risks and protecting the vulnerable endpoints connected to your network. We also offer cybersecurity awareness training so you can educate your team to avoid the risks of phishing, email scams and social engineering.