Scammers steal $75K from Skagit County fire station

LAKE CAVANAUGH, Wash. — A Skagit County fire district says it was scammed out of $75,500 that it had been planning to use to buy a new fire truck.

The Skagit Valley Herald reports that someone pretending to be District 7's secretary sent an email to the county treasurer, asking for the money to be wired from the district's account to another account.

The money was wired on Jan. 19, but the account it was sent to appears to have been linked to a fake company.

The theft was discovered and reported to the sheriff's office 10 days later. Detectives are investigating.

Skagit County Treasurer Katie Jungquist says her office has changed its procedure to prevent similar problems. District secretaries will no longer be allowed to email money transfer requests, but will have to make them in person.