Somerset County treasurer's office loses $11K in email scam, troopers say

Patrick Buchnowski, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·1 min read

Jun. 23—SOMERSET, Pa. — The Somerset County Treasurer's Office was scammed out of more than $11,000 earlier this month when office staff responded to a fraudulent email requesting a wire transfer, state police in Somerset said Wednesday.

The office, located at 300 North Center St., Somerset, received an email on June 8 purporting to be from Somerset County's president commissioner requesting an $11,295 wire transfer for goods and supplies to a "known company," troopers said.

That wire transfer was completed the same day, according to state police.

The office received a second email on June 13 requesting an additional wire transfer of $23,470. That request was denied after it was discovered that the email address from which the requests came was fraudulent, troopers said.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing, troopers said. Somerset County Treasurer Anthony DeLuca and Acting District Attorney Molly Metzgar said Wednesday that they could not comment on the investigation.

"This is a bright reminder that scam artists are preying on everyone across the county," Metzgar said.

It's not clear if any other county offices received similar emails.