What Can You Do to Prevent Your Congregation from Being Scammed?

by

Desert Southwest Conference | March 12, 2024

Have you heard this story?

A United Methodist clergy member from a different conference recently shared details about a gift card scam that went to a new level at their church. Someone created a fake account for a member and then emailed the church asking for a new directory. With the directory in hand, the scammer had emails and phone numbers for almost half of the congregation. Next, the scammer created another fake email posing as the pastor asking for gift cards. The emailed request looked legitimate because it included the pastor’s name, signature, church name, and the church email address.

Scammers are doing a better job of impersonating people, so it’s getting harder to spot a fake email from a legitimate one. With the power of AI, voice cloning could be the next way a scammer might target your congregation.

What can you do to prevent your congregation from being scammed?

  • Get the congregation informed. Share information in the bulletin, in the newsletter, from the pulpit, and in committee meetings about what to watch for and what to do. Let them know:
  • No matter how convincing or desperate it may sound, the pastor will never text, email, or call you asking for your Social Security number, bank account information, or credit card number or ask you to pay anything with gift cards.
  • If you paid a scammer with a gift card, contact the company immediately to see if they have a process to minimize fraudulent activity. Click here to find contact information for some popular businesses with gift cards.
  • If you’ve been scammed, file a complaint today through the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint.

Side Note: While conducting research for this article, I learned that many people struggle with emotional and mental health after falling victim to a scam. Let us be mindful to surround them with love and support.

Christina Dillabough serves as communications director for the Desert Southwest Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. This article is republished with permission from the conference newsletter.