A current email hoax is targeting Nazarene churches and districts by “spoofing” names and email addresses of Nazarene leaders to ask for money via wire transfers.

Example: A person will send an email that states they are a Nazarene leader or an official organization within the denomination. It will appear on the surface that the message is indeed being sent by that person/organization. They will say they’re in a meeting or busy at the moment, but they need you to send a payment today and to reply so they can send you the details of how to send the money.

DO NOT REPLY.

Giving from churches and districts is done securely through the Funding the Mission website or directly to the General Treasurer’s Office. There is never a need to wire money, and individual requests aren’t made over email through informal channels.

If you suspect someone’s name is being spoofed in an email, ignore the sender’s name and view their email address. If it looks fishy, it likely is. Mark it as spam within your email client. 

"Let others know about the scam so they can identify it as such," said David Wilson, Church of the Nazarene general secretary. "If you or anyone you know receives suspicious communication, it is always best to confirm the person’s identity by contacting the appropriate church, district, regional, or Global Ministry Center office in a separate email to a known address."

For more information, email the General Secretary’s Office at gensec@nazarene.org.