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County to replace detailed online check register after spike in fraud attempts, officials say
Summary
Greene County staff told supervisors that public display of detailed check registers has enabled fraudsters to craft targeted schemes and proposed replacing the register with an aggregated, redacted report; the board agreed by consensus to proceed subject to county‑attorney review.
Greene County staff recommended removing the detailed check register from the county website and replacing it with a consolidated, redacted report after staff described an increase in check- and ACH‑fraud attempts that use posted payment details to craft targeted scams.
Miss Marshall (speaker 15) told the board the public check register contains check numbers, payee names, dates and amounts—information that fraudsters can use to test parameters and stage schemes. "We are having an enormous amount of fraud attempts, the past several months on our accounts," she said, and noted that in the last week the office saw its first ACH fraud event followed by five more the next day. Staff proposed an aggregated vendor report that preserves transparency on vendors and totals while removing sensitive check details; county staff said they identified a consolidated vendor report that can be redacted prior to posting and recommended attorney review of the approach.
The board agreed by consensus to remove the full register and replace it with a less‑detailed report that follows best practices used in other localities. Staff said the change aims to reduce fraud risk while preserving meaningful transparency about county spending. Follow‑up tasks include finalizing the report format, confirming legal compliance with the county attorney, and implementing redaction procedures.
