Dear Timothy friends,

As you may know, we want to alert you to a scam that has recently surfaced in our community. Some of you may have received text messages that appear to come from Pastor Dinger, but they are not legitimate. These messages are not the result of Timothy being hacked or breached.

They are attempts to deceive recipients and may ask for money, gifts, or personal information. Please be cautious and do not respond to any text message that seems unusual or asks for anything out of the ordinary. Be assured that Timothy Lutheran Church staff will never request financial help or personal favors via text message or email.

If you receive a suspicious message, please delete it immediately and report it to the church office. Unfortunately, we cannot stop these types of scams.

But, here are some tips below to help protect yourself against scams.

4 Signs of a Scam FTC | 4 Signs of a scam (https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-scam)

1. Scammers pretend to be someone you know: they may try to impersonate a utility company or a government agency such as Medicare, the Social Security Administration, or the IRS. They can use phone technology that masks the number they are calling from.

2. Scammers say there’s a PROBLEM or a PRIZE: They might say you owe money, that a family member is in trouble, that you have a computer virus, or that there is a problem with an account. They might also say that you have won a sweepstakes.

3. Scammers pressure you to act immediately: They may threaten you with phony legal action.

4. Scammers tell you to pay in a specific way: They often ask for payment in the form of cryptocurrency, wired funds, using a payment app, or by gift cards.

Peace in Christ, Timothy Lutheran Church

Ministries
Worship and Church Ministry