For more than a year, scammers have been circling Kirk in the Hills in Bloomfield Township, slipping into inboxes and text threads while posing as trusted church leaders. The phony messages lean hard on urgency and faith, then pivot to one thing: money, sometimes through gift cards, sometimes by bank wire.
As reported by WXYZ, Rev. Dr. Edwin Estevez said hundreds, hundreds that we know of have been targeted over roughly the last year and a half. The bogus notes are often short and deceptively casual. One common line asks to discuss a favor, then quickly applies pressure with a tone that sounds both urgent and generous, nudging recipients toward fast action.
According to WXYZ, the smaller asks usually involve gift card payments of roughly 500 to 1,000 dollars, while bigger plays try to coax wire transfers in the 10,000 to 13,000 dollar range.
How To Spot And Stop Imposter Scams
The Federal Trade Commission breaks down a few simple rules that can stop these schemes cold: do not click links or call phone numbers in messages you were not expecting, confirm any request using contact information you already know, and never send money to anyone you have not independently verified.
The agency warns that imposters often use official-sounding language and urgent demands to stir panic, which is exactly when people are most likely to slip up. Slowing down and double-checking a request, the FTC notes, can make the difference between staying safe and getting taken. For practical tips and to report suspicious messages, see the FTC's guidance on imposter scams at the Federal Trade Commission.
What The Church Is Doing
Kirk leaders told WXYZ they have pulled staff email addresses off public-facing pages, stopped sending sensitive information by email, and now routinely remind members that the church will never ask for money, gift cards, or financial help by email or text.
According to the station, the congregation has reported incidents to Bloomfield Township police and submitted complaints to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center and the Federal Trade Commission. "You know someone's going to fall for this, no matter what we do," Estevez said, describing how painful it is to watch parishioners be targeted by people hiding behind a pastor's name.
Local Law Enforcement And The Bigger Picture
Bloomfield Township uses its crime-prevention page to tell residents to hang up on callers who demand immediate payment and to be skeptical of anyone who claims to be from a court or government office and then starts talking about money. That same playbook of urgency and impersonation is showing up across different kinds of scams, not just in church communities.
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center collects reports on schemes like these and uses complaints to track trends and, in some cases, help recover funds. Filing a report, federal officials say, helps build the broader case against scammers who often target the most trusting people first. Both local and federal guidance stress that older adults and tight-knit groups, such as congregations, can be especially vulnerable.
If You Are Targeted
If you or someone you know gets a suspicious request, stop responding and verify it by contacting the person or organization using a phone number or email you already trust. Do not rely on the information in the questionable message.
Report the incident to local police, file a complaint with the FBI’s IC3 at IC3, and submit a report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you have already sent money or shared account details, contact your bank or card issuer immediately and ask about options to block or reverse transfers.
