August 8, 2024 |
Photo – Non Sufficient Funds check – Courtesy iStock.com
Suspicious checking account activity forced the Town of Saratoga to close its bank account.
At Tuesday’s town council meeting, Saratoga Mayor Chuck Davis announced that the town’s bank account had been hacked. The account with RNB was closed, and a new account opened. Mayor Davis said town bills cannot be paid until checks for the town’s new account arrive.
Mayor Davis said the new checks should arrive this Friday. Until then, the town only has 15 starter checks available. If the new checks don’t arrive on time, the mayor said he will use the starter checks for payroll.
Councilwoman Beck asked how the issue was spotted. Treasurer Corina Daley said she noticed an unauthorized Automated Clearing House payment at the end of July. After investigating, RNB officials decided to close the account to prevent additional fraudulent charges.
Councilwoman Beck thanked the town hall staff for identifying the fraud. The council agreed that the bank account hack could have been disastrous for the town if it hadn’t been caught so quickly.
The Saratoga town council voted to wait until the checks for the new account arrive before paying the bills.
