Hello Friends,
This is quick note to alert you that a number of spam or phishing emails are circulating to United Church people again.
The messages vary, so there is not one example to cite. However they appear to come from United Church staff, and others. Reports have included flagging a voice message that sounds just like the voice of the person that the criminal was impersonating, and standard email messages.Â
As scams and internet crime becomes more sophisticated, remember that low-fi measures keep us all safest: A quick phone call, text, or email to the person they are claiming to be, that you initiate (don’t reply to their number or email address) will get you the most reliable and helpful information – either, ‘yep it’s me’ or ‘nope, that’s a scam’. You can each then take action to report the scam, change passwords, alert others, etc.
You’re invited to encourage openness and positivity when it comes to the steps for email and phone safety, to help folks in your community of faith and networks know it’s okay if they can’t quite tell if a message is legit or not, and to get the support they need for phone and internet safety.
Blessings,
PMR Office