The Art of Spotting a Fake (Phishing)
It’s Monday morning. You get an email from the Chair of Trustees or the Senior Pastor. The subject line says "URGENT." The message reads: "Hi, I'm in a meeting and can't talk. I need you to buy 5 x £100 Amazon Gift Cards for a donor gift. I'll reimburse you. Please send the codes ASAP."
It looks real. The name is right. But the request feels... odd.
Welcome to the world of Phishing.
Why They Target Us
Faith groups and charities are built on helpfulness. We want to say "yes." Scammers exploit this "high trust" environment. They know you are unlikely to question authority or ignore a plea for help.
The "Stop, Look, Call" Method
Stop: Scammers rely on urgency. They want you to panic. Take a breath.
Look: Tap the sender's name. Does the email address match? Is it pastor.john@church.org or pastor.john.church12@gmail.com? Look for generic greetings ("Dear Beloved") or bad grammar.
Call: If money or data is involved, never reply to the email. Call the person on a number you already know (not the one in the email signature) and ask, "Did you send this?"
Your "Easy Win" for Today
Share a "Spot the Phish" example with your team. Next staff meeting, ask: "If I emailed you asking for gift cards, what would you do?" Make it okay to be suspicious.
