In late April, the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department (RVFD) was hit by cybercriminals who pretended to be a vendor the department had been working with. By impersonating this trusted vendor, they managed to steal over $200,000 that RVFD had earmarked as a downpayment for two new ambulances. These ambulances were meant to improve emergency services in the Rockville community.
As soon as RVFD realized what had happened, they reported the incident to the Montgomery County Police Department, the United States Secret Service (which handles financial cybercrimes), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. RVFD also informed its contacts in Montgomery County Government, who have been extremely supportive during this challenging time.
Thanks to the swift response from RVFD’s bank, about half of the stolen money has been recovered. And because of the strong support RVFD has received from the community over the years, the department is still in a stable financial position to proceed with purchasing the ambulances and to continue its regular operations.
RVFD has been proactive in combatting scams and cybercrime in Montgomery County. Back in 2019, the department played a key role in shutting down a scam PAC that targeted firefighters, veterans, and breast cancer patients.
Working alongside law enforcement and its bank, RVFD is striving to recover the remaining stolen funds. The department is also implementing additional security measures to protect against future cyber threats while continuing its core mission of fighting fires and protecting the community.
To help cover the loss from this cybercrime, RVFD has set up an Ambulance Recovery Fund, where donations are welcome. If you’d like to contribute, you can visit www.rvfd.org/donate.
RVFD will keep the public informed as more information about the incident becomes available. In the meantime, we encourage everyone to remember that anyone can be a victim of identity theft or cybercrime. For tips on how to protect yourself, check out the FBI’s cybercrime website at https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/cyber.
Founded in 1921, the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department has grown to be the largest volunteer fire department in Maryland, with over 350 members. In 2023, RVFD’s Station 3 responded to 14,662 calls, making its volunteers some of the busiest firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics in the country.
