WEST POINT — The true extent and additional details of a scam that targeted the West Point Fire Department (WPFD) last summer was made public with a statement posted to the department’s Facebook page on Tuesday. All told, $320,270 was stolen in the scheme that included multiple international wire transfers over  a two-week period. 

“This unfortunate series of events has taken a toll on our fire department,” the WPFD statement read. “As a result of our loss, we have cut spending and now have work performed in-house that was previously contracted to outside services. We have carefully restructured old debts and our financing is on track to provide us the necessary operating funds to carry-on and actually improve operations. This loss, as extremely unfortunate as it was, has forced us to be a more efficient organization and to focus on our core mission — helping the residents of our community.”

The series of events began in late May when the department’s bookkeeper, who has not been named, received an email from who she believed to be Microsoft reporting that her computer had been “compromised.” After contacting a number pretending to be technical support, she was put in contact with an individual claiming to be an FBI agent. That individual directed the bookkeeper to make a series of wire transfers to a foreign account through the first week of June. 

“Approximately $314,000 was transferred this way,” WPFD stated. “Additional withdrawals for the purchase and transfer of bitcoin to the scammers were made totaling $6,270.”

The department said that “a lack of security features established with the bank at the time” allowed the bookkeeper to transfer large sums of money without the “knowledge of anyone else at the department.” The transactions were discovered two weeks later.  “After these events the former bookkeeper and one other former member were placed on leave pending an internal investigation,” WPFD explained. “Both individuals later chose to resign from the department.”

When the scam came to light, a  temporary acting fire chief from a neighboring department was brought in to assist. At the time the department said the current chief Wayne Chamberlain was on a temporary leave of absence. In October, Phillip Pelley, who has been with the department for 18 years, was officially announced as the full-term fire chief, permanently replacing Chamberlain. 

The scam led to a number of changes to the department’s policies and procedures and implemented preventive steps.  

“As a result of these events security measures were put into place with our financial institution to prevent one individual from ever being able to handle money like this alone,” WPFD stated. “All forms of wire transfers have been disabled, all checks require two signatures, and all transactions now require two steps of verification with the bank to be processed and approved. New bylaws and policies have been established regarding the expenditure of funds.”

While the matter remains under investigation by the FBI, it is unlikely that the stolen funds will ever be recovered. A cyber fraud report was filed with the Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office as soon as the scam became known. The status of the sheriff investigation is unknown.

Despite the financial blow, WPFD remains committed to the community it serves. 

“In 2025, the West Point Fire Department continues to offer advanced life support ambulance transport services free to the residents of our community,” it said. 

The station is staffed 12 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.  

“When we are not staffing the station, services are supplemented through our dedicated volunteers,” the statement said.