Rock Hill church members got money request from the pastor. It was a scam, police say
Online scams now include emails sent to Rock Hill church members, police said.
A scammer fraudulently used the name of the pastor First Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in an email to get hundreds of dollars from a member, Rock Hill Police Department officers said.
One person lost $300 in the scam that used the Rev. Barry Dagenhart’s name on an email asking for money through gift cards, according officials.
“The person doing this banked on the trust my folks have in me, and it is frustrating,” Dagenhart said.
Church officials advised members it was a scam and called police.
“We don’t want anyone here or anywhere to fall victim to this,” Dagenhart said.
Dangenhart advised his congregation about safety measures federal government officials have posted to avoid becoming a victim.
“It is not uncommon for these scammers to use the names of pastors, police or other people of authority,” said Det. Keith Dugan, a financial crimes investigator at the Rock Hill Police Department.
Many of the scams originate overseas and target older people, Dugan said. Any request for money or a transfer of money through cards should be suspect, he said.
“When someone in that email, text or call says time is of the essence, that the money has to be sent immediately, that’s warning sign right there of a possible scam,” Dugan said.
The York County Sheriff’s Office in recent months has made videos and sent out several public service announcements on social media after scammers claiming to be deputies used real officers’ names.
Anyone who believes they have been targeted, should catalog as much information as possible and call law enforcement.
