Gift Card Scams by Robert Gaekle, Directory of Safety and Security
"As Jesus advised his disciples, “so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.” Mt 10:16
You would never ignore a message from your Pastor or church employee, right? That’s exactly what scammers are counting on. Don't do your Pastor any favors buying gift cards — it's likely a scam
A fake Pastor scam is a text or email scam in which fraudsters pretend to be your pastor and request gift cards (or some other payment) to be sent to them, for a variety of made-up reasons.
First, your pastor or church employee 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. 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.
While not new, gift card scams are on the rise and can result in a victim losing hundreds or thousands of dollars. In a typical scam, a person receives an email or a text message that pretends to be from their church pastor, church employee, co-worker, boss, or another senior figure or person of authority. It asks them to buy gift cards and send them photos of the backs, for reasons that will be explained later. The scammer may ask you to communicate with them via text message, email or over the phone.
The bogus emails often include the name of the pastor and a legitimate looking email address. But a closer look should raise some red flags. For example, the email address isn’t the one normally used by the church, and the service provider is different, too. The message may begin with a simple “Hi,” but doesn’t include a recipients’ name. There also may be spelling errors, including the pastor’s name.
The imposter asks you to buy a gift card(s), and then asks for the gift card number and PIN on the back of the card. Those numbers let the scammer immediately get the money you loaded onto the card. And once that’s done, the scammer and your money are gone, usually without a trace.
If you or someone you know paid a scammer with a gift card, report it as soon as possible. Call the card company and tell them the gift card was used in a scam. Here is contact information ( https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/gift-card-scams) for some of the gift card companies that scammers use most often. Then, tell the Federal Trade Commission about it at ftc.gov/complaint. (https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/). Your reports may help law enforcement agencies launch investigations that could stop imposters and other fraudsters in their tracks.
Why would a scammer want gift cards?
Criminals love gift cards, because they're like cash — only without the money trail. Once the money is used, it's gone. Gift cards also don't offer the same protections as other payment methods, like credit or debit cards.
Remember, gift cards are for gifts — not payments.
RED FLAG: No legitimate business or government agency will ever insist that you pay with a gift card. If anyone asks you to pay with a gift card, it’s a scam.
How to Spot a Gift Card Scam:
• Inspect the sender's email address to confirm it's actually coming from that person. Scammers will often send the email from a random email account and change the Display Name of the email address to either your pastor, church employee, boss, supervisor, or director. If the message came in the form of an unfamiliar text message, reach out to the supposed sender through a trusted channel such as an email address found in the church/organization directory or call the person direct.
A Gift Card Scam Email Message will:
• Indicate some level of urgency, such as indicating they are currently busy or are heading into a meeting and need your help ASAP.
• Possibly include a subject line of ”are you available?" or "URGENT REQUEST".
• Ask you to do them a "favor".
• Ask you to purchase numerous gift cards with the promise of reimbursement.
• Ask for you to scratch off the activation codes on the back and provide them over email, text, or by phone.
• Possibly have typos and grammatical errors.
• Possibly not include the sender signature, but rather "Sent from my iPad" in order to make it appear as if the person is mobile and away from their desk.
What To Do:
• Ask yourself, "would this person really ask me to do this?"
• Call the sender by telephone to verify authenticity of the request or use the sender's known email account.
• Do not reply to the email or text.
• Do not purchase any gift cards.
• Contact us so we can take additional steps and to help validate the authenticity of the email.
Sample Gift Card Scam Emails
Sample 1
From: Pastor Name <PastorName@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 3, 2022 1:26 PM
To: Name <name@?>
Subject: Request...
I need you to do a chore to purchase Google Play gift cards from Target / Safeway or any other nearby store. Let me know when you receive this email for the amount and denominations you are to purchase then look forward to my response.
Name,
Sent from my iPhone
Sample 2
“Jane, could you please email me back? I need a favor.”
Sample 3
“Sally, are you available at the moment? I need you to handle a project. Very busy at the moment. Can't talk. Just send an email when you receive this.
Thanks.”
Sample 4
“I need you to pick up three Home Depot gift cards for our project.”
Sample 5
“Good to hear from you. I need to get three iTunes gift cards for my niece. It's her birthday but I can't do this now because I'm currently traveling. Can you get them for me from any store around you? I'll pay back next week when I get back home.”
Sample 6
“Sitting in a meeting right now, there is something I need you to do. Let me know when you are available.”
Sample 7
“Hello, are you available? Please i need your assistance urgently.”
Sample 8
“Okay thanks, I was hoping you could help me get some Amazon gift cards from the store, I will reimburse you when I’m done with my conference, I need to send it to someone now and it is very important because it’s one of my best friend kids birthday and I fear I may not get it on time myself if I decide to wait it out.”
Sample 9
“Subject: Are you available?
Are you available? I need you to handle something for me now, I’m currently in a meeting with the parish staff with limited phone call and also experiencing some difficulties at the moment, just reply my e-mail if you are available. Thanks
[Signature of a church person]”
Sample 10
“I need you to personally run a task for me ASAP as I am occupied in a meeting at the moment and can't talk but will lookout for your reply and let me know if you can get this done right now.
Thanks”
And...please report fake email and text scams to local law enforcement.
"As Jesus advised his disciples, “so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.” Mt 10:16
You would never ignore a message from your Pastor or church employee, right? That’s exactly what scammers are counting on. Don't do your Pastor any favors buying gift cards — it's likely a scam
A fake Pastor scam is a text or email scam in which fraudsters pretend to be your pastor and request gift cards (or some other payment) to be sent to them, for a variety of made-up reasons.
First, your pastor or church employee 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. 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.
While not new, gift card scams are on the rise and can result in a victim losing hundreds or thousands of dollars. In a typical scam, a person receives an email or a text message that pretends to be from their church pastor, church employee, co-worker, boss, or another senior figure or person of authority. It asks them to buy gift cards and send them photos of the backs, for reasons that will be explained later. The scammer may ask you to communicate with them via text message, email or over the phone.
The bogus emails often include the name of the pastor and a legitimate looking email address. But a closer look should raise some red flags. For example, the email address isn’t the one normally used by the church, and the service provider is different, too. The message may begin with a simple “Hi,” but doesn’t include a recipients’ name. There also may be spelling errors, including the pastor’s name.
The imposter asks you to buy a gift card(s), and then asks for the gift card number and PIN on the back of the card. Those numbers let the scammer immediately get the money you loaded onto the card. And once that’s done, the scammer and your money are gone, usually without a trace.
If you or someone you know paid a scammer with a gift card, report it as soon as possible. Call the card company and tell them the gift card was used in a scam. Here is contact information ( https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/gift-card-scams) for some of the gift card companies that scammers use most often. Then, tell the Federal Trade Commission about it at ftc.gov/complaint. (https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/). Your reports may help law enforcement agencies launch investigations that could stop imposters and other fraudsters in their tracks.
Why would a scammer want gift cards?
Criminals love gift cards, because they're like cash — only without the money trail. Once the money is used, it's gone. Gift cards also don't offer the same protections as other payment methods, like credit or debit cards.
Remember, gift cards are for gifts — not payments.
RED FLAG: No legitimate business or government agency will ever insist that you pay with a gift card. If anyone asks you to pay with a gift card, it’s a scam.
How to Spot a Gift Card Scam:
• Inspect the sender's email address to confirm it's actually coming from that person. Scammers will often send the email from a random email account and change the Display Name of the email address to either your pastor, church employee, boss, supervisor, or director. If the message came in the form of an unfamiliar text message, reach out to the supposed sender through a trusted channel such as an email address found in the church/organization directory or call the person direct.
A Gift Card Scam Email Message will:
• Indicate some level of urgency, such as indicating they are currently busy or are heading into a meeting and need your help ASAP.
• Possibly include a subject line of ”are you available?" or "URGENT REQUEST".
• Ask you to do them a "favor".
• Ask you to purchase numerous gift cards with the promise of reimbursement.
• Ask for you to scratch off the activation codes on the back and provide them over email, text, or by phone.
• Possibly have typos and grammatical errors.
• Possibly not include the sender signature, but rather "Sent from my iPad" in order to make it appear as if the person is mobile and away from their desk.
What To Do:
• Ask yourself, "would this person really ask me to do this?"
• Call the sender by telephone to verify authenticity of the request or use the sender's known email account.
• Do not reply to the email or text.
• Do not purchase any gift cards.
• Contact us so we can take additional steps and to help validate the authenticity of the email.
Sample Gift Card Scam Emails
Sample 1
From: Pastor Name <PastorName@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 3, 2022 1:26 PM
To: Name <name@?>
Subject: Request...
I need you to do a chore to purchase Google Play gift cards from Target / Safeway or any other nearby store. Let me know when you receive this email for the amount and denominations you are to purchase then look forward to my response.
Name,
Sent from my iPhone
Sample 2
“Jane, could you please email me back? I need a favor.”
Sample 3
“Sally, are you available at the moment? I need you to handle a project. Very busy at the moment. Can't talk. Just send an email when you receive this.
Thanks.”
Sample 4
“I need you to pick up three Home Depot gift cards for our project.”
Sample 5
“Good to hear from you. I need to get three iTunes gift cards for my niece. It's her birthday but I can't do this now because I'm currently traveling. Can you get them for me from any store around you? I'll pay back next week when I get back home.”
Sample 6
“Sitting in a meeting right now, there is something I need you to do. Let me know when you are available.”
Sample 7
“Hello, are you available? Please i need your assistance urgently.”
Sample 8
“Okay thanks, I was hoping you could help me get some Amazon gift cards from the store, I will reimburse you when I’m done with my conference, I need to send it to someone now and it is very important because it’s one of my best friend kids birthday and I fear I may not get it on time myself if I decide to wait it out.”
Sample 9
“Subject: Are you available?
Are you available? I need you to handle something for me now, I’m currently in a meeting with the parish staff with limited phone call and also experiencing some difficulties at the moment, just reply my e-mail if you are available. Thanks
[Signature of a church person]”
Sample 10
“I need you to personally run a task for me ASAP as I am occupied in a meeting at the moment and can't talk but will lookout for your reply and let me know if you can get this done right now.
Thanks”
And...please report fake email and text scams to local law enforcement.
