SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are assisting with an investigation of alleged fraudulent use of Sunflower Bank customers accounts.

As of 7 a.m. Tuesday, the Salina Police Department had received 49 individual calls from Sunflower Bank customers whose accounts had been compromised, according to Salina Police Captain Gary Hanus.

The Saline County sheriff’s office had received six calls from residents living outside the Salina city limits whose accounts had been compromised, according to Saline County Undersheriff Brent Melander.

The cases appear to be related to those with which the police are dealing.

Both Hanus and Melander said their agencies are writing outside agency assist reports for law enforcement in the locations where the crimes occurred.

Hanus also said he was aware of transactions on Sunflower accounts in Wichita, the suburbs of Wichita, Hutchinson, and one location in Texas.

In some instances, Sunflower customers’ debit card information was used for purchases and in others, Sunflower Bank ATMs were used, according to Hanus.

Both Hanus and Melander said they did not know the total number of Sunflower customers affected nor the total amount lost by Sunflower customers.

Salina Post attempt to talk with someone at Sunflower Bank. The call was transferred to voicemail in the bank’s marketing department.

Hanus said law enforcement personnel believe a redirect malware on the Sunflower Bank website was at least partially to blame for the breach. He provided a screenshot of a message that appeared on the Sunflower Bank website. The message has since been taken down.

Hanus encouraged all persons to check their financial accounts regularly for suspicious activity.