In From Scam-Busters:

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Let Us Prey: How Church Scam Artists Get Away With Millions
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The trusting nature of many religious worshippers, and, often,
their fervent wish to help others, have opened the floodgates
to an evil deception -- the church scam.

Church scams can happen when members of a congregation, a
church, temple or mosque, or even a whole religious
organization, are fooled into parting with their money either
for a supposedly profitable investment or simply to support an
individual who claims to have fallen on hard times.

Tens of millions of dollars have been plowed by individuals
into hopeless projects that have turned out to be Ponzi
schemes. You can find out more about Ponzi schemes here.

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=76C...q4NnY8ZMzwbPbA

Perhaps the most common religious scam is a variation of the
Nigerian scam, which we wrote about in this issue (under
Foreign Inheritance).

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=76C...5TtMjAJOtedejw

In other religious scams, churches have been left with
thousands of dollars of debt after being hoodwinked into
signing costly leases for equipment they thought was free.

In this issue, we take a look at the most common types of
church scams and offer some advice on how to avoid them.


The affinity church scam

"Affinity" simply means something like "a shared
understanding, interest or belief." And claiming to share
someone else's viewpoint is the sneaky cover many church scam
artists use.

Pretending to share their faith lulls members of religious
organizations into thinking a scammer is genuine.

Often claiming some kind of divine guidance, using religious
slogans, or claiming to be raising funds for a religious or
other worthy cause, church scammers invite their new "friends"
to invest in what turns out to be nothing more than a Ponzi
scheme paying for their personal lifestyle.

This is such a huge and common crime that the state of Arizona
just listed affinity scams of this type as its number one scam
for 2009.

And in one recent nationwide religious scam, churchgoers are
said to have lost more than $50 million in a phony gold
bullion scheme, promoted on daily telephone "prayer chains,"
in which they thought they could earn a huge return.

Many affinity church scams involve promises of triple digit
returns or other similarly unbelievable come-ons.

In the bullion case, for example, the amount of precious metal
said to be involved was greater than the gold reserves held by
the United States!


The sob-story church scam

In a way, this religious scam is a variation of the affinity
scam. It just happens at a personal level and usually involves
less money.

A newcomer turns up at church. They may profess to be recently
converted to the faith and claim this has changed their lives.

Sometimes immediately, sometimes over a lengthy period of
time, they tell a story of a struggle against hardship or a
recent tragedy.

Typical examples are stories about needing to travel across
country to reunite with family they haven't seen for years or
to attend a parent's funeral, or claims to be suffering from a
terminal illness.

Church funds or contributions from compassionate congregation
members usually appear quickly. And just as fast, the scammer
disappears!


"Free" or cut-price equipment offers

Recent news reports have highlighted several variations of
this type of church scam, in which religious organizations
sign up to use equipment for what they believe to be little or
no cost.

Typically this may involve computers, photocopiers or other
technology.

Sometimes the organizations are told they have to pay upfront
but that their costs will be reimbursed by a sponsor, who
fails to materialize.

Other times, fees and other costs are hidden in the fine print
of an agreement or lease.

And on yet other occasions, churches have replaced equipment
leased to them via a third party (i.e., not the original
supplier or manufacturer).

The third party -- the scammer in this case -- does not return
the equipment to the supplier or cancel the original lease.
They sell the equipment instead.

In one case, a church with two photocopiers discovered it owed
money on 14 leases!


Other common religious scams

If you belong to a religious organization, here are a few more
scams to beware of:

* Using a church as a drop-off. The scammer orders equipment
in the name of a church, then waits for the item to be left on
the step, knowing no one will be there.

* Hijacking of the church's email account, which is then used
to send out phony distress messages (for example, from the
pastor) asking for money to be wired.

* A "Nigerian" scam in which church members are told they are
entitled to buy cut-price cars or other equipment,
supplemented by a religious bequest. Again, they have to wire
cash in advance.

* "Gifting clubs" -- a sort of pyramid scheme, where new
members contribute money in the hope that they too will get
cash by recruiting more members. These are illegal. See this
issue for more on gifting clubs.

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=76C...bHJMttQchhaxRA

In addition, here are three more church scam tricks, this time
ones crooks use to try to fool the general public:

* Business and door-to-door collections supposedly on behalf
of a church or religious group. Or phony church-goers who
charge in advance for community services, like meals-on-wheels
that never arrive.

* Illegal tax avoidance schemes that claim you can set
yourself up as a church so you can claim charitable status.

* Cults. This is a whole church scam subject in itself.
Basically, under the guise of some sort of faith, an
organization recruits members and convinces them to hand over
all their possessions.


How to avoid church scams

There are five golden rules for avoiding church scams drawn
from the tips we frequently provide subscribers across all
type of con tricks.

1. The most common adage applies to affinity and
equipment-related church scams -- if it seems too good to be
true, it probably is.

2. Never believe someone is who they say they are, or that
their claims are true, without independent proof.

3. Never wire or donate cash unless you are 100% sure who the
recipient is.

4. Always read the small print of any agreement you are
signing. Discuss it with others -- don't rush.

5. Carefully check out the credentials of any organization you
are dealing with, whether they're investment firms or
equipment suppliers.

There is also some useful guidance on church scams on the
Federal Trade Commission website.

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=76C...R7bjF9glbQp4WQ

By applying these common sense rules, you can ensure your
church or religious group can safely maintain its spiritual
and social focus.

The church scam artists meanwhile can await their day of
judgment -- whether it's in this world or the next!

Time to close -- we're off to take a walk. See you next week.