Latest Online Scam Alert & Reminders

While online scams have been escalating, their attacks become even more brazen during the holidays. The latest report is from a Windward church that received an email from "The Rt Rev Robert 'Bob' Fitzpatrick" asking for a pdf directory of all their members.

As we have cautioned before, urgent requests for gift cards or confirmation of personal information is a common practice, but we should also add to the list requests to confirm or release personal information of ANYONE, whether it is a phone number, email or home address, birthdate, etc. Emails and texts requesting these things should always be scrutinized. When in doubt, verify!

DOUBLE CHECK SENDER'S EMAIL ADDRESS! Even if the email is coming from a familiar name, oftentimes a missing letter or mispell goes unnoticed. Even then, some clever scammers can show a "fake" correct email, but clicking on the linked name will show the real address it's coming from. On a computer, hover over the sender's name/email to reveal the actual source, or on a mobile device, press on the sender's name as shown below:

REMINDERS: BE AWARE AND STAY INFORMED!

Keep in mind, our clergy will never solicit gift cards! The problem is not going away. With the use of artificial intelligence (AI) becoming commonplace, the problem is growing and becoming even harder to detect. So what can we do to protect ourselves?

Be skeptical of unexpected requests: If you receive an unexpected, oftentimes urgent request, asking for money, especially for gift cards, treat it with suspicion. 

Verify directly: Always verify such requests by contacting the "alleged sender" using a known, confirmed phone number for the church or leader, not the number or email address provided in the suspicious message. 

Protect Your Information: Be cautious about sharing personal information!

PRIESTS & CHURCH LEADERSHIP:

• Educate your members about common scam tactics to empower them to recognize and report these fraudulent activities.
• Ensure church directories are secured behind strong passwords. 
• Do not share email addresses of members on your website, and consider using a contact form instead. The Diocese uses Jotform on its website.

For more information, visit the Federal Trade Commission's Consumer Advice webpage HERE. (Yes, this is a legitimate link!)