Pastor Imposter Scam Reported In Minnesota
It seems like scammers just keep getting lower, with a new scam hitting members of a Minnesota Church. Because this scam is already in Minnesota, it wouldn't be a shock if this particular scam made its way to the Twin Ports.
This scam happened in Albert Lea, which is a few hours from the Duluth area. I saw a local church in the area posted about this and several people in the comments weighed in saying they were almost victims of the scam as well.
First Lutheran Church posted about this recently, writing that scammers were targeting church members. They warned these church members to be aware of the scam and shared a text message that had been making the rounds.
The scammer begins by sending a text message claiming to be a pastor, in this case Pastor Rogers, which is a real name from the church. The scammer goes on to say they need a favor and when the church member responds, they make things seem legitimate by saying they can only text because they are in a meeting. I personally would not have second guessed that.
The scammer goes on to say they need to get a gift card for someone battling cancer but can't get to it because they are busy. They use this ruse to pull at the heartstrings, which would make someone more likely to fall for the scam.
The scammer says they will pay the church member back and leaves it at that. Obviously, it should be a red flag when someone asks you to pay for something in gift cards or wants a gift card for something. Church leaders say you shouldn't respond and if you are curious about any type of message like this, you can give them a call at their office.
These scammers are good! They use a sad story to get your guard down and know all the right things to say to make it look like it is a real thing. It wouldn't be unlikely for this scam to move around the state, since it can happen just about anywhere.
Scammers are getting lower and lower. Recently, a scammer was targeting people who worked with a specific funeral home in Minnesota, trying to get vital information out of people in their darkest times.