FROM: HOLLEY CARNRIGHT
DATE: MARCH 27, 2019
RE: PRESS RELEASE - NEW PHISHING SCAM USES CHURCH PASTORS’ NAMES AS BAIT
The basics of the scam are that church members get a text message from their pastor asking them to make a contribution by buying and sending gift cards. The messages have the pastor’s name and an email address that looks legitimate, but upon further inspection, the email address is actually from a provider different than the one the church typically uses. In some instances, the sender’s name may look correct but is missing a single letter.
According to the Ulster County District Attorney’s Division of Consumer Affairs, always be skeptical when asked to wire money or make payment through any form of gift card because once the money has been wired or sent in the form of a gift card it is gone forever.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) suggests:
- · Don’t text back.
- · Don’t click on any links within the message.
- · Report the message to your cell phone carrier’s spam text reporting number.
If you’re an AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint or Bell customer, you can forward the text to 7726 (SPAM) free of charge.
Consumer Affairs can be reached at 340-3260.