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| Don't get caught up in some of these crazy scams. |
The
message from "Mrs. Obasanjo" informs us that her late husband, a
military general, left behind an estate of $12 million, and she wants to give
it to you! But the money is frozen in a Swiss bank account, so she's asking you
to wire her $1,500 to "unlock" the funds.
Few
people today would be foolish enough to fall for that tired trick. But the
internet has matured, and thieves have grown more sophisticated in their greedy
pursuits. Today, a whole new generation of con artists has emerged, and some of
them are specifically targeting Christians.
I
don't want you to be a victim! So watch out for these schemes:
1.
The too-good-to-be-true speaking invitation. Last week
a friend of mine who pastors in Canada received an invitation to speak at a
church in England.
It
seemed like a great opportunity to minister overseas, but there was one catch:
The church explained that my friend would need to send funds up front to pay
"permit fees" that are required by the British government for
foreigners.
Such
permits are required, and there is indeed a fee. But in this case, the
"church" issuing the invitation was involved in an elaborate
religious con job.
Thankfully
my Canadian friend didn't fall for it, but many innocent pastors have. As soon
as they sent the funds by Western Union—the equivalent of about $775 U.S.—the
church pocketed the money, and there was no event and no honorarium for the
speaker as promised.
2.
The pay-up-front gospel crusade. The scheme goes
like this: You get an email from a pastor in a developing country who begs you
to help him reach his village for Christ.
You
begin a long-distance relationship, and he sends photos of his evangelistic
meetings. Then he invites you to come to his country, and he promises you will
speak to multitudes.
After
more correspondence, you agree on dates and he sends you a budget for the
six-day event, which includes venue rental fees and the cost for meals for
participants.
And
then he asks for an advance deposit on these fees, which you wire to his bank.
Once the money is transferred, the "pastor" vanishes. (Cue the song,
"Take the Money and Run.")
3.
The hurry-up-and-send-relief crisis. Within hours of
a legitimate international crisis—an earthquake, hurricane or famine—you are
contacted by an organization you've never heard of, asking you to send
donations immediately.
If
you don't know the name of the charity, don't click on the "Donate"
button—it could actually be a phishing scam designed to steal your cyber
identity.
First,
go to your browser and see if the charity actually exists. Better yet, give
your donation to a group you know and trust.
4.
The wealth-laid-up-for-the-righteous investment opportunity. A
few years ago, a supposed Christian businessman convinced a group of ministers
to invest in an elaborate plan to mine salt from the Dead Sea in Israel and
turn it into a more valuable mineral. The plan was shrouded in secrecy and
super-spiritual lingo.
The
spokesman for the company said only an elite few people were being offered the
chance to profit from this amazing venture. Prospective investors were told
that Satan was fighting the operation because it would unleash millions of
dollars of the world's money into the hands of Christians. The people who
bought into this plan were convinced it would change the world—and make them
independently wealthy.
Nothing
ever comes of these scams. The people who invest are usually too embarrassed to
report criminal behavior once they realize they've been bamboozled.
But
every year, tons of God's money is flushed down the drain because a scam artist
figured out how to use religious lingo to deceive people who should have the
discernment to know better.
Jesus
warned us long ago: "Beware of false
prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous
wolves" (Matthew 7:15).
Things
are not always as they seem. The church has been infiltrated by charlatans who
pretend to be children of God but are actually agents of the devil.
How
can you protect yourself? Read every email from a stranger with a skeptical
eye. Do your homework and always scrutinize any financial plan carefully before
investing.
Be
cautious when building relationships overseas, and never trust someone who asks
you to send funds to them in order for you to eventually strike it rich.
Finally: If
you want to have keen discernment, make sure you crucify your greed. It is
usually a lust for money that causes people to fall for get-rich-quick schemes
that sound too good to be true. Don't let the love of money pull you into a
trap.
God Is Not Superstitious
Investing in Eternity
http://puricarefiles.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-real-measure-of-our-wealth-is-how.html
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The last words of Steve Jobs will haunt you,
they’ll haunt you because he only realized them on his death bed…will it happen
to you too?
J. Lee Grady was
editor of Charisma for 11 years before he launched into
full-time ministry in 2010. Today he directs The Mordecai Project,
a Christian charitable organization that is taking the healing of Jesus to
women and girls who suffer abuse and cultural oppression. Author of several
books including 10 Lies the Church
Tells Women, he has just released
his newest book, Set My Heart on Fire, from Charisma House. You can follow him on Twitter at @LeeGrady or
go to his website,themordecaiproject.org.
Draw
closer to God. Experience the presence of the Holy Spirit every month as you
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Get
to know the Holy Spirit and how to interact with Him on a daily basis. Learn to
enter God's presence and hear His voice clearly for yourself! Go deeper in your
faith with Life in the Spirit and change your life and
destiny. Are you ready to start your journey?
http://www.charismamag.com/blogs/fire-in-my-bones/27488-don-t-get-ripped-off-by-these-crazy-email-scams
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