Scam Donation Requests

Scam Donation Requests
Individuals falsely representing themselves as members of our clergy have texted or emailed parishioners asking those parishioners to buy gift cards for the sick or to make contributions to a special cause. Some of these bad actors will make a strong effort to make these messages appear to originate from the pastor. The scammer will write messages using very personal greetings and indicate there is a need to get the cards or funds quickly to create a sense of urgency.
Pastors or clergy members will not typically solicit donations via emails or texts. Any parishioner who receives such a message should always verify its authenticity personally with the sender before making any contribution. Report the incident to law enforcement and to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (https://www.ic3.gov/ ).