Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Texas School District Loses $2.3M to Phishing Scam

  • By Yvonne Marquez
  • 01/13/20

Manor ISD, located outside of Austin, TX, lost $2.3 million in an email phishing scam. Three separate fraudulent transactions happened in November, according to the Manor Police Department. A district employee noticed the discrepancies in December and alerted the police.  

Detective Anne Lopez told a local news station that she frequently sees people and businesses fall victim to online scammers but not of this magnitude involving a school district.

Phishing email scams are attempts to access personal information and can happen by using disguised emails, fake links, ransomware, etc. The police didn’t specify how exactly the illegal transactions happened.

Police and the FBI are still investigating but say they have "strong leads." It’s unclear if the district will get the money back.

Police are warning people to verify links and email addresses before clicking on them or entering information online.

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Dallas-Area District Debuts Three New Facilities

    The Duncanville Independent School District in southwest Dallas, Texas, recently held ribbon-cutting ceremonies for three new facilities that resulted from a $170-million bond program passed in 2023, according to a news release.

  • California Middle School Breaks Ground on Major Renovation Project

    The Hillsborough City School District (HCSD) in Hillsborough, Calif., recently began construction on new multipurpose and administration facilities for Crocker Middle School, according to a news release.

  • University of Kentucky Reopens Scovell Hall

    The University of Kentucky recently reopened Scovell Hall, part of the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE), following comprehensive renovations to the 120-year-old facility in Lexington, Ky., according to a news release.

  • Wyoming District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    Laramie County School District #1 in Cheyenne, Wy., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the upcoming Mountain View Elementary School, according to a news release. The facility has an estimated completion date of summer 2028, and it will have the capacity for 650 students in fifth and sixth grade.