Beware of Scams: Protect Your Money

A Reminder About Scam Messages

Recently, some members have received emails or texts that look like they’re from Pastor Bastian or other church staff, asking for money or gift cards. Please know that these messages are not from us.

If you ever receive something like, do not reply and delete it.

If you’re ever unsure about a request for help or a contribution, please check with someone from the church in person before responding. We’re always happy to help make sure everything is genuine.

We want to make everyone in our church family aware of a concerning type of scam that has been targeting our own congregation. Several members have recently received text messages or emails that appear to come from Pastor Bastian or other church staff, asking for money, gift cards, or urgent assistance. These messages are not from anyone in our church.

Scammers can be very convincing. They may:

• Use Pastor Bastian’s name or pretend to be another staff member
• Write in a warm, familiar tone
• Claim they are in an urgent situation and can’t talk
• Ask you to keep the request private
• Use email addresses or phone numbers that look similar to real ones

Because these messages often sound personal and urgent, it can be easy to think they’re genuine.

If you receive a message like this, the best thing to do is simply ignore and delete it. If you’re ever uncertain about a request, please check with someone from the church in person before responding.

Thank you for staying alert and helping keep our church community safe.