As we enter the holiday season, it is likely that email spoofing and scams will become more prevalent. We do not currently know of any email scams affecting Bishop Satterlee, the Synod Staff, or congregations in our synod, but it is important to remain vigilant and be aware of common email scams.
One of the most common current email scams involves bad actors creating new email addresses and pretending to be people you know (ex: Bishop Satterlee or your congregation’s pastor). Oftentimes the email addresses are created using Gmail. Anyone can create a Gmail account using any name. Bishop Satterlee does not have a Gmail account and will not contact you in this way.
As part of this email scam, the bad actors send an email asking for help “discreetly” or “privately”. These scams ultimately result in the bad actors asking you to send them money or gift cards. In previous years, scams have focused on asking people for gift cards to use as Christmas presents for the Synod Staff.
Again, Bishop Satterlee and the Synod Staff will not contact you in this way. Please do not respond to these emails or send any money or gift cards.
We have posted additional information about email spoofing, email scams, and internet security on the Synod website. We invite you to read these resources regularly. If you suspect you have received a fraudulent email from Bishop Satterlee or a member of the Synod Staff, please contact the Synod Office and do not send any money or gift cards. Review Resources: https://www.mittensynod.org/internet-security/