Dallas Phishing Costs Big Money

Dallas Phishing Costs Big

Dallas phishing costs big to county taxpayers to the tune of $2.4 million after an employee wired the funds.

Last week, Dallas County Commissioners were briefed on a potential fraudulent payment that was wired by a county employee.

The employee reportedly received a fake email message impersonating one of the county’s partners.

Dallas Phishing Costs Big

The phishing email convinced the county employee to wire almost $2.5 million.

Per Dallas County Administrator, Darryl Martin, the county became aware of the incident on November 17. They are cooperating with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

How To Give Away $2M?

Texas law requires all government employees to undergo cyber security awareness training. This training includes learning on how to spot phishing emails.

Dallas County has not responded to whether or not this county employee has gone through this training.

Dallas Phishing Costs Big – Not Only Time

In October, hackers gained access into Dallas County servers and stole an unknown amount of data.

County officials claim this incident is not related to the October Dallas County ransomware attack.

Other Side Dallas will provide Dallas local breaking news updates as they are available.

Dallas COVID19 Politics Gone Bad

COVID19 Politics

Locally, Dallas COVID19 politics have gone bad during the Inauguration – a day which is supposed to signify national unity.

Earlier this week the Dallas County Commissioners Court voted 3-0 with two abstentions to allocate COVID19 vaccines by zip codes. The effort spearheaded by Commissioner JJ Koch was stated to prioritize vaccine distribution by race.

It was attacked by County Judge Clay Jenkins as potentially illegal and now Texas has agreed.

In a strongly worded email to Commissioners, Texas health officials said, “While we ask hub providers to ensure the vaccine reaches the hardest-hit areas and populations, solely vaccinating people who live in those areas is not in line with the agreement to be a hub provider,” wrote Imelda Garcia, an associate commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services.

She continues, “If Dallas County is unable to meet these expectations, we will be forced to reduce the weekly vaccine allocation … and no longer consider it a hub provider.”

COVID19 Politics

In addition to the state action at least two attorneys were preparing motions to stop the new vaccine rollout.

COVID19 Politics At 1500 Marilla

Meanwhile, Mayor Eric Johnson sent a terse memo to City Manager TC Broadnax regarding city vaccination rollout and individual council members seeking vaccine registration hubs.

COVID19 Politics

The Mayor’s memo was immediately attacked as another COVID19 politics power grab by Adam Bazaldua in both personal posts and posts to the Other Side Dallas Facebook group.

The two City Council colleagues have been described by another City Council member as “the two boys in the sandbox who can’t get along because neither gets enough attention” from their mother.

“They both just complain about the other and neither does his homework,” the source said.