BAZETTA — Trumbull County officials are investigating how more than $160,000 was delivered to a fraudulent bank.

On Sept. 3, a Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office report states deputies responded to a theft report at the Bazetta Township Administration Building.

Stacy Marling, the township’s fiscal officer, reported eight transactions totaling $160,857.18 were intercepted after an unknown party sent fraudulent emails to the Trumbull County Auditor’s Office, posing as Bazetta Township.

Marling discovered emails, dating back to Aug. 9, in which the sender instructed an Auditor’s Office employee to update Bazetta Township’s bank account number. The fraudulent account then received the diverted payments.

Bazetta Township requested the sheriff’s office to handle the case due to a potential conflict of interest.

The FBI will take over the investigation, according to the sheriff’s office.

Trumbull County Sheriff Paul Monroe said the suspect’s account was linked to a financial lending company called Green Dot, whose services he says often are used in fraudulent schemes. He said that the county was able to stop some of the transactions.

Trumbull County Auditor Martha Yoder confirmed an investigation is underway following the discovery of irregularities with emails received by her office.

“The matter is now under investigation by law enforcement, and I cannot comment further due to the pending investigation,” Yoder said in an emailed statement.

Trumbull County Commissioner Denny Malloy warned that cybercriminals are advancing rapidly, stressing the need for preparedness in dealing with modern threats.

He called it a learning lesson for how the nature of cyberattacks has changed.

“It used to be that scammers were easy to spot — if you traced a suspicious number, it usually led out of the country,” Malloy said. “But now, these criminals are becoming more sophisticated every day.”

This instance is a “wake-up call for counties, state and federal agencies and businesses” to stay vigilant, Malloy said. People are becoming smarter with scamming techniques, which means stronger security measures are needed, he said.

Malloy advised all local governments to consult with their fiscal officers to ensure they’re not facing a similar issue.

Malloy suggested more funding might be necessary to combat cyber crime.