Scam Alert: Clergy Impersonation Scam

Scam Alert

This notice was originally published by the Iowa Fraud Fighters.  Learn more about current scams and ways to fight fraud at IowaFraudFighters.gov

Scammers posing as clergy or other church staff are contacting congregation members via text or email to solicit funds. They create a false sense of urgency by requesting money for a sick member of the congregation or a gift for church staff. The email will appear to be from the church leader, but upon closer inspection, the address may differ slightly from their regular email, or their actual account may have been completely hacked. They will specifically ask you to purchase gift cards and then demand you take photos or make copies of the cards to send back to them.

THIS IS A SCAM

PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE CLERGY IMPERSONATION SCAM! 

  1. Be cautious of unexpected emails or texts from church leaders asking for immediate financial assistance via gift cards.
  2. Always scrutinize the sender’s email address for slight variations, misspellings, or unusual domains. Be skeptical of high-pressure tactics or claims of immediate deadlines to receive a government-subsidized grocery card.
  3. Never purchase gift cards or take photos of the card numbers to fulfill an unsolicited, secretive request.
  4. Confirm any unusual requests by contacting the clergy member or church office directly using a known, trusted phone number.

WHAT TO DO:

  1. STOP COMMUNICATION
  2. Do not reply to the suspicious email, send money, or provide photos of gift cards.
  3. Report the incident immediately to your church office so they can send a legitimate alert to the rest of the congregation. 

Scammers rely on your compassion and the trusted authority of church leaders to bypass your better judgment. Remember that legitimate church staff will not urgently ask you to buy gift cards and send photos of the claim codes. If you doubt the authenticity of a message, cease communication immediately and call your church directly using a verified phone number.

For further assistance from your Fidelity Bank branch, please reach out to us here. More information on fraud, scams and identify theft is found under the Resources page on our website.