Scammers are creeping into South Florida’s churches, not through the side door, but through phones and laptops. Pastors across the region are warning congregants after con artists used AI-generated deepfakes to impersonate well-known religious leaders and shake people down for money and favors. One scheme involved a disturbingly realistic video that mimicked charismatic pastor Jennifer LeClaire. Another flooded social media with fake accounts tied to Father Rafael Capó. Church leaders say the grifts are preying on trust, name recognition, and big online followings, and they are now pushing for a mix of platform fixes and in-house education.
Local leaders say they were impersonated
Jennifer LeClaire, pastor of Awakening House of Prayer in Davie and a YouTuber with nearly 600,000 followers, sounded the alarm after an AI-generated video clip copied her likeness and tried to squeeze a follower for money, including the awkward line “cheer up and let’s get more better in christ jesus together,” as reported by Miami Herald. According to the report, LeClaire posted part of the synthetic video so followers could see how the fake version of her speech and delivery differed from the real thing.
It’s part of a national wave
The South Florida incidents are not a one-off. Across the country, similar tactics have popped up, with AI-generated impersonations of pastors and other clergy being used to push donations, spread bogus messages, and chase clicks, according to WIRED. Those cases highlight how easily a few samples of voice or video can be turned into a convincing forgery that rides on the credibility of trusted figures with large online audiences.
How to spot a fake
The FBI advises people to slow down and scrutinize what they are seeing and hearing. Visual glitches, distorted or warped images, strange pauses, odd audio artifacts, or mouth and eye movements that are just slightly off can all be signs that a clip is synthetic, according to FBI. The bureau urges people to independently verify any urgent request for money before sending a dime and recommends simple verification moves, such as a prearranged “challenge phrase” used for high-stakes conversations.
Local response and platform fixes
In South Florida, scammers reportedly created hundreds of fake profiles impersonating Father Rafael Capó, vice president of mission and ministry and dean of theology at St. Thomas University, who has more than 112,000 Instagram followers. Platforms responded by rolling out multifactor verification tools to help tamp down the impersonations, according to Miami Herald. Rev. Christopher Benek of First Miami Presbyterian also told the Herald that churches need to proactively teach congregants how to spot and report these kinds of scams before someone takes the bait.
Practical steps for congregations
Churches are urging members to treat any surprise message that asks for money, gift cards, or personal favors with healthy skepticism. Leaders are telling congregants to confirm donation requests through official church offices or clearly verified websites, and to avoid wiring funds or clicking unfamiliar links tied to a message that feels rushed or emotional. The FBI recommends using code words or challenge phrases for verification and turning on two-factor authentication for official church accounts to make impersonation significantly harder.
As AI tools get easier to use and more convincing by the day, local pastors say that vigilance and basic digital literacy are now part of modern pastoral care. Congregations that combine clear verification rules, platform safeguards, and constant reminders in services and bulletins are likely to be in a far better position to shrug off the next wave of AI-powered scams.
