Sawyer said the money, which totaled around $667,000, was meant for the Lower Cape Fear Water and Sewer Authority (LCFWSA). The fraudulent payments date back to September 29, when the scammer — posing as a vendor — requested a change to their bank transfer details.
“Now, I’m not harming the investigation to say [the request] appeared very valid,” Sawyer said during the meeting.
According to Sawyer, the county received the request while it was in the process of fulfilling a legitimate invoice totaling roughly $581,000 to LCFWSA. On October 1, the county changed the bank details and sent the money to the scammer. The county would make three more payments on Oct. 7, Nov. 13, and Dec. 4…