Soda Springs school district avoids fraud scam

The Soda Springs School District reports it was targeted by a fraud similar to that which victimized the Teton School District in December.

Like Teton, the Soda Springs District is working with Headwaters Construction to build its Tigert Middle School gym and classroom additions.

Soda Springs personnel followed established protocol and did not wire any money and no Soda Springs funds were compromised. The district is now working with local law enforcement and the FBI.

Much like the Teton School District, District 150 received an e-mail on December 11, 2018 from what appeared to be a clerk from Headwaters Construction. The email requested the district to change its established payment practice of mailing monthly payment checks and switch to an electronic wire transfer.

District Business Manager Jonathan Balls reviewed the request with Superintendent Molly Stein and agreed not to make a change.

Balls was notified on December 21 of the scam that victimized the Teton School District. Stein notified Soda Springs Police.

Since the fraud, the district has expanded its training with building principals and expanded training to include all bank account signers.