The holidays are a prime season for criminal scams by email, text, and even phone calls.  Here are some pointers.  For more info, visit the AARP fraud website.

If your phone rings and you don’t recognize the number, let it go to voicemail. Don’t pick up.

If a text request says it’s urgent or says: “I’m in a meeting and not able to talk,” ignore it.  If a text or email message from anyone asks you if you shop at Amazon or Ebay (etc.) or asks you to buy gift cards to help you help others or  anything for which they will pay you back, delete it.

If you get an email that looks as if it comes from someone you know and it asks for “help,” do not reply.  You could contact the sender by another means (not a direct reply) or start a fresh email to their real address. I appreciate the members that do that when they get a request that looks like one from Rev. Lucy or me.

Your ministers and most other not-for-profit leaders will not send you an urgent request to ask you to supply gift card numbers or your personal or financial information by text or email.  Remember, it can wait.

These are criminal enterprises, not pranksters.

Sometimes they call (acting like the IRS or Sheriff or other agency) and threaten you with prosecution or fines. Sometimes they threaten harm to your loved ones, telling you private information they have obtained about your family.  Then they try to keep you on the phone while they extort money from you.  Just pretend that you are fainting and hang up. Then you can think it through and call your loved one or call the police.

Too many of us have been victimized by these crimes.  It is not your fault. Please reach out to your ministers or a UUSS friend for advice or just for reassurance.  Let us be safe and support one another.