Scammers have been using the names and positions of clergy in an attempt to con church workers out of hundreds of pounds.
The Revd Patrick Taylor, Vicar of Holy Trininty, Stratford-upon-Avon, was recently targeted. An email was sent to many of his colleagues, claiming to be from him and asking them to purchase iTunes vouchers on his behalf. Also, diocesan office employees have been sent texts and emails from scammers claiming to be the Bishop of Coventry and the Dean of Coventry asking them to buy Google Play vouchers.
The Revd Patrick Taylor says:
"When I discovered that one of my most trusted and valued colleagues had almost been taken in by the scam I was in a state of shock. They came very close to losing a lot of money but thankfully something put them off at the last moment. It was a real near-miss and I can see how people whom I regard as being really on the ball can still be tricked. The scam is based on peoples’ instinctive trust of what their clergy tell them, and although it’s good to know this exists, it makes it even more scary that it’s being abused by the scammers.“
Please by wary of emails and texts asking you to purchase vouchers, and if possible contact the person directly by telephone.