Surfside Beach says investigators traced $545K payment scam to contractor’s side
SURFSIDE BEACH, SC (WBTW) — Surfside Beach Mayor Robert Krouse said Monday that insurance investigators have told town officials that a security breach that led to a $545,000 payment to a North Carolina company being intercepted by scammers occurred on the contractor’s side.
The payment in March was intended for Wildcat Contractors Inc., which performed underground utility work for the town, but the money never reached the company’s account. Public records show the town made the payment on March 13, and Krouse previously said “the town’s processes were followed” when the involved was paid.
Kyle Bowker, president of Wildcat Contractors, told News13 in May that their email system was not compromised and that Surfside Beach sent the payment to a scammer account. Both the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the FBI are investigating the incident.
