Stay alert for Spam attempts

Unfortunately, churches, employees and parishioners are regularly targeted by spammers attempting to gain access to your device and financial institutions or credit cards. Please do not open or respond to these messages.

Don’t fall for it! Here’s what to know and do:

• First, your pastor or associate pastor will never contact a parishioner directly with an emergency request for cash or gift cards. Messages asking parishioners to help fulfill a need would come through the parish’s or the diocese’s official communication channels or be accomplished through a collection approved by the diocese. If you’re not sure about a text or email you’ve received, do not engage or respond and call your parish office right away to notify a staff member. In addition, please note that neither your parish nor the diocese will ever sell or give away parishioners’ personal information.
• Often times with text messages, a scam can be identified by looking at the phone number. If the area code is not local, it’s likely a scam.

For more information See the diocese page on SPAM https://grdiocese.org/priest-impersonation-scam-text-email-gift-cards/