Page 12 - Wednesday, October 18, 2023
The Jenkins County Times
jenkinscountytimes.com
Attorney General Warns
of Imposter Scam
Targeting Churches
By Joe Brady, Editor
for
The Times
Attorney General Chris
Carr issued a warning
to Georgians about an
alarming imposter scam
that has been targeting
faith-based communities
across the state. In
this fraudulent scheme,
scammers impersonate
religious leaders to deceive
congregants into sending
them money.
These imposter scams
come in various forms,
each designed to exploit
the trust and goodwill of
congregants. One version
of the scam involves
fraudsters creating Gmail
accounts that display
the legitimate names of
rabbis, priests, pastors, or
imams. They then send
emails to members of the
congregation, claiming
to be in dire need of
emergency donations to
assist someone in need.
In another variation,
scammers pose as actual
religious leaders and send
text messages or emails
to congregants, requesting
funds to be sent via
gift cards. This clever
manipulation preys on the
faith and compassion of
those targeted.
"With advancements
in technology, it's easier
than ever for criminals
to hide their true identity,
which is why we continue
to hear about imposter
scams," Attorney General
Chris Carr cautioned.
"Consumers should be very
suspicious of any emails or
texts asking them to send
money, even if they appear
to come from a tmsted
source."
Victims of such scams
often find it challenging
to recover lost funds once
they have been transferred
to the scammers. However,
there are steps individuals
can take to improve their
chances of retrieving
their money. Carr's office
recommends the following:
Report the Fraud: Notify
the appropriate authorities
as soon as you become
aware of the scam. Contact
the relevant financial
provider, money transfer
company, or gift card
provider.
File a Report: Report the
incident to the appropriate
law enforcement agency,
the Attorney General's
Consumer Protection
Division at (404) 651-8600
or visit consumer.ga.gov.
Additionally, contact the
Federal Trade Commission
at reportffaud.ftc.gov.
Monitor Your Credit:
Those who suspect that
scam transactions may be
affecting their credit should
visit AnnualCreditReport.
com. Here, they can request
free credit reports from the
three major credit reporting
agencies - Experian,
Equifax, and TransUnion.
Freezing credit is also a
recommended measure
to prevent unauthorized
accounts from being
opened.
These precautionary
steps can help protect
individuals from falling
victim to imposter scams
and increase the chances
of recovering lost funds.
Attorney General Carr
encourages Georgians to
remain vigilant and report
any suspicious activities to
law enforcement agencies
to help put an end to
these deceitful schemes
that target faith-based
communities.
Council of Churches to
sponsor Thanksgiving
program
By Cindy Linder,
Special Contributor
for
The Times
Jenkins County Council of
Churches will sponsor the annual
Thanksgiving program and once
again partner with St. Nicholas
Toy Box for our Christmas
program.
The holiday season has not yet
arrived, but the Jenkins County
Council of Churches is preparing
to make sure that everyone has a
joyful Thanksgiving and a blessed
Christmas.
Thanksgiving in Millen has
been set for Tuesday, November
21st, 10:00am at West Millen
Baptist Church. Pastor Andy Allen
will lead our worship service.
We will begin taking names on
Wednesday, Nov. 1st. You can call
the Family Enrichment Center at
478-982-8004 to signup.
We only have 125 turkeys and
food bags to be given out. These
will be given out based on income
eligibility requirements. If you
would like to help, the following
items for the Thanksgiving food
bags: Canned green beans, bag
of stuffing mix, cans of cranberry
sauce, can of sweet potatoes
or yams and box Macaroni and
Cheese. Monetary donations are also needed. All food and monetary donations are needed
by November 10th.
This year the JCCOC will partner with St Nicholas Toy Box sponsored by Spring Creek
Auction and Jenkins County Times at 425 Highway 25 South. We will still be accepting
new toys for this program. You can drop off your donation at Spring Creek Auction Co. or
contact Cindy Linder for drop off at another location. If your group or church would like a
collection box, please contact Cindy Linder at 706-551-8509.
Our need for our Christmas program are unwrapped toys for children ages birth to
15-years-old.
