We have recently seen a rise in scam emails purporting to be from Rev. María Cristina. The emails usually start off by just asking if you’re “free to talk” or “able to do a favor.” If you reply, the scammer will say they need gift cards for someone and are not able to get them right now.
Here are two things to look for when you get an email asking you for a favor from the minister or other East Shore Staff:
Does the email address come from @esuc.org?
This is the most obvious tell. An email address from Gmail, Hotmail, AOL, or anywhere else is not an official East Shore email, and you should double-check with the person through a phone call or by emailing their official East Shore email. Staff emails can be found in the front of the Beacon, the directory, or on our website.
Does the email pressure you to do something quickly?
Scam emails try hard not to give people time to think. The person emailing will always be “not able to talk” or “in an important meeting” and needs to get gift cards “quickly”. This is to put pressure on you to get it done before you have a chance to consider if the email is legitimate!
If you think you have been caught by one of these scam emails, you should contact your bank immediately for advice.
We have also seen scam emails asking for the link to our member directory. Do not give this out! Scammers want the email addresses to be able to scam more people – everyone in our Realm database has been vetted by Nicole and can contact her if they have trouble accessing their account.
While in the past it has been the practice of some ministers to purchase or hand out gift cards to people in need, that is not something we are doing any longer. If we did need gift cards, it would be the job of Staff to handle and not a member. Staff will not ask you for gift cards.
Rev. María Cristina maintains a minister’s discretionary fund to handle emergency situations for church members and friends. This is the proper avenue if you want to make a donation or assist members in need. If you have any further questions, you can call or email [email protected].
by Jenny Newell, Office Administrator