St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

Please be aware that scammers are creating gmail accounts such as “SethJersild34” and presenting themselves falsely as church staff members.

They commonly ask for gift cards for what seems like a good cause, and request that you keep everything “discreet” or a secret.

When you receive emails or text messages like this, please report it to your email provider and or gmail.

There is nothing we can do at church to stop people from creating false gmail accounts, but you can report them as “phishing” or “suspicious” and block them.

If you are in doubt, call the church office. Or, you can check the sender’s email address or phone number against our valid church staff contact information, which can be found in all our official St. John’s publications.

Be advised that there are false text messages and emails which are the latest scamming trend. 

A scammer will reach out to you, claiming they are a person you know. 
They will often seek your assistance for a good cause (like helping someone in need).

Example

Please be cautious of text messages and emails coming from unfamiliar phone numbers or email addresses. 

If you get a suspicious text or email from someone claiming to be a church staff member, for example, check their numbers/addresses against the true ones that are readily available on St. John’s church communications. 

You can also use the “block this caller” function on your phone to stop receiving nuisance messages.