Churches in the area are warning the public about recent text and email frauds that have targeted their congregations.
Trinity Lutheran Church in Summerfield is the most recent church in the area to disclose fraud, having recently sent out a notice to its members about it.
“Someone has used Senior Pastor Dan Kelm’s name to try and scam church members into thinking that he is requesting funds,” said Sara Stambaugh, administrative assistant for Trinity Lutheran. “He did not send out a text or email to anyone requesting money. Anyone that receives such a text should delete the message and not respond.”
According to Steve Weisman, who runs scamicide.com, a nationally known specialist in scammers, such a scheme has been around for a while.
According to him, the scam usually involves church members getting emails that appear to be from their clergy, requesting them to donate via gift cards or move money to accounts and people identified in the emails.
“The key to protecting yourself from this scam is to first be skeptical whenever you get a request to wire money or make a payment through any form of gift card,” Weisman said. “Once money has been wired or sent in the form of a gift card, it is gone forever, which is why these are the favorite methods of payment for scammers.”
St. Vincent de Paul in Wildwood, St. Timothy in The Villages and St. Mark the Evangelist in Summerfield, all part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orlando, have warned against similar scams for a long time. The Diocese issued a statement cautioning parishioners to exercise caution.
“It has come to our attention that individuals may be receiving texts or emails from clergy or leaders within our parish asking for gift cards or financial assistance with travel,” as stated in the statement. “Please know that the Diocese does not allow anyone to solicit financial contributions or assistance for an individual or approves of solicitation for personal business as a representative of the church.”
When reacting to a financial transaction engaging clergy, staff or volunteers, the Diocese suggests that parishioners request a contract and receipt.
Protecting yourself from such scams, according to Weisman, also requires some common sense.
“Always confirm the legitimacy of any request for a donation of any kind before making a payment,” he said. “No church solicits gift cards, which is why when someone posing as a religious institution asks for a payment through a gift card, you can be sure it is a scam.”