Recent scamming incidents

Several recent incidents in which parishes and Archdiocesan members have been targeted for scams seeking personal information and money have occurred. In some instances, scammers pose as pastors and ask staff to share personal information such as staff or parishioner directories. In another recent incident, the scammer presented themselves as a pastoral minister and listed several items for sale that belonged to the late husband of a parishioner with an email address for them to contact to purchase items. These scammers often present themselves well via email and over the phone and appear legitimate. Please use caution in verifying email addresses and requests before sharing any personal information, making donations, or purchases. Please feel free to reach out to the SMIG team for assistance.