BATTLE CREEK, Mich.–Scammers were able to steal $121,000 from a member’s account here using a fraudulent wire transfer.
Battle Creek police were contacted by Kellogg Community Credit Union about the fraud, according to the Battle Creek Enquirer, which reported a CU manager told officers KCCU had received a wire transfer request from a member and processed it after calling the member at the number listed in their records to verify the request. The credit union then transferred the money, but later heard from the member, asking why it had been done, the Enquirer reported.
The credit union told police it had determined that someone hacked the credit union records for that member and changed the contact phone number so when officials called to verify the transfer they talked with the suspect and not the actual member, according to the Enquirer.
“The credit union officials told police they have given the case to their insurance company to reimburse the member and police said because the transfer was to a location outside the country, there was little they could do,” the Enquirer reported.