A. Today’s sermon is a unique one in that it is part sermon and part public service announcement.
1. I have titled the sermon: “Protecting the Saints from Scams.”
2. And that’s what I hope to do in today’s sermon – protect our church family from financial exploitation.
3. Our deacon of benevolence encouraged me to preach a sermon or teach a class on this subject in order to educate our congregation about financial scams, because several of our church members have been scammed.
B. Even though this isn’t a laughing matter, I thought it might be good to start on the light side.
1. I got an email from a prince offering me a fortune if I helped him transfer money.
I thought, “Why not? I could use a little royal deception in my life!”
2. Why don’t scammers ever get lost? Because they always follow the money!
3. What do you call a financial scammer who becomes a musician? A con-artist!
C. Tragically, this subject is a serious matter that has afflicted suffering on many a victim.
1. How big a problem is financial scamming? Here is the answer from Kiplinger.com:
2. The FTC received 2.6 million fraud reports from consumers in 2023, an increase of about 8% from the 2.4 million reported in 2022.
3. The FTC report says that one in four people reported losing money, with a median loss of $500 per person.
4. Last year, scams cost consumers $8.8 billion, which was an alarming 30% increase over 2021’s total of $6.1 billion.
5. The FTC report reveals the losses from the following kinds of scams:
a. Category Number of Reports Total $ Loss Median $ Loss
b. Imposter Scams 853,935 $2,668.1M $800
c. Online Shopping 368,379 $392.2M $125
d. Prizes, Sweepstakes and Lotteries 157,520 $337.9M $878
e. Investment Related 107,669 $4,641.9M $7,768
f. Business and Job Opportunities 107,134 $490.7M $2,137
6. So, as you can see, this is a big problem and that’s why I am addressing it in a sermon.
D. One of the biggest mistakes any of us can make when it comes to protecting ourselves from financial scams is thinking we’re too smart to be duped by one.
1. Eva Velasquez, president and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center, a nonprofit organization that provides advice and assistance related to identity theft, says: “We’re all vulnerable — we can all fall for a scam given the right set of circumstances.”
2. John Breyault, vice president of public policy, telecommunications and fraud at the National Consumers League, says: “You look at the profiles of victims who filed complaints and it runs the gamut from highly educated, high-income people all the way down to the most vulnerable people in our population.”
3. Keeping ourselves safe starts with accepting that fact that any of us can fall, that all of us are vulnerable.
4. The apostle Paul gave us this warning: So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! (1 Cor. 10:12)
5. That vulnerability applies to all kinds of temptations and sins and scams.
E. While there isn’t a foolproof solution to stay safe from all scams, there are strategies we can employ to reduce our risk.
1. In addition to being aware of our own vulnerability, we can make ourselves aware of the kinds of scams that are out there.
2. So, let’s spend a few minutes going over the kinds of scams there are, the way they work, and how they can be detected.
F. Here are a few general types of scams that are being used (keep in mind that scammers are always trying to come up with new ways to exploit others).
1. Imposter Scams
a. Imposter scams come in many forms, but the bottom line is that the scammer pretends to be someone you know or someone you can trust and they are very convincing.
b. These scams are communicated through emails, phone calls, letters, text messages, and through social media.
c. They might pretend to be a family member or friend in need, or they might pose as a government official, or a representative of a trustworthy organization, like your bank or a prize or lottery company, like Publisher’s Clearing house.
d. They might be calling with an offer to help you with your debt problem, student loans, or mortgage foreclosure.
e. So, they might be calling with good news: you are a winner; or bad news; you are about to be arrested or fined.
f. In the end, all of them are either looking to steal your personal information or your money or both.
2. Dating/Romance Scams
a. Preying on victims’ desire for love and connection, romance scammers trick consumers into falling in love with them only to ask for money or access to financial information.
b. These scammers create false profiles on social networking websites and online dating apps, and once they have earned a person’s trust, they make up a story of need or financial opportunity.
c. These scams can sometimes span months as the fraudster works hard to build trust before bringing money into the equation.
d. While it can be a laborious process for scammers, it’s lucrative and it leaves their victims heartbroken, angry and filled with shame.
3. Job Scams
a. Anyone who is searching for a new job needs to be alert to employment scams, which live in some of the most frequented online job search databases like LinkedIn.
b. The scammer pretends to be a recruiter from a well-known and often large company (hoping that a big name will fool you with instant credibility).
c. You may even go through multiple interviews before being sent a job offer.
d. What the impersonator is after is your personal information: Social Security number, bank accounts, driver’s license, in order to commit identity theft.
e. They may even schedule an onboarding meeting to ask for personal information under the guise of completing tax paperwork.
f. As a precaution, you should call the company using a number you look up (not one provided to you by the recruiter) to verify you’re a candidate or that the job exists.
4. Investment Scams
a. If an investment opportunity claims you’ll make quick money with no risk, you may be facing an investment scam.
b. Also watch out for offers of free initial training on topics like real estate, cryptocurrency and precious metals.
c. You may then be lured into paying expensive fees to continue and the information may be basic or without actual value.
5. Shopping scams
a. Online shopping scams involve scammers pretending to be legitimate online sellers, either with a fake website or a fake ad on a genuine retailer site.
b. While many online sellers are legitimate, unfortunately scammers can use the anonymous nature of the internet to rip off unsuspecting shoppers.
c. Make sure you know who you are working with when doing online shopping.
6. Contractor Scams
a. A fraudulent contractor will give a low quote to get homeowners on board.
b. Once payment is made, they may never show up, or once the work starts, extra costs and hidden fees will be demanded in order for them to continue to work.
c. Sadly, in the end, the homeowner will pay a lot more than the initial quote or they will be out the money and not have a finished job.
d. How to protect yourself? Do research to make sure the contractor is legitimate, get a written and signed contract and don’t pay in full upfront.
e. Be sure to get a copy of the contractor’s identification, business license, and proof of insurance.
G. Let me share some general things to look for that should raise a red flag in our minds.
1. Too Good to Be True: If an investment promises high returns with little risk, it’s likely a scam.
2. Pressure Tactics: Scammers often create a sense of urgency, urging you to act quickly to avoid missing out or to avoid arrest.
3. Unsolicited Offers: Be wary of unexpected calls, emails, or messages promoting financial opportunities.
4. Lack of Transparency: Legitimate businesses provide clear information about their services and fees. If something is vague or difficult to understand, be cautious.
5. High Fees or Charges: Scams may require you to pay upfront fees or provide personal information before you can access your money.
a. If you have to pay money for a prize upfront, then know that it is a scam.
6. Unlicensed Operators: Check if the company is registered with financial regulatory bodies. If they aren’t, it’s a red flag.
7. Pressure to Keep it Secret: Scammers often tell you not to discuss the investment with anyone, isolating you from trusted advice.
8. Overly Complicated Language: Scammers may use jargon or complex explanations to confuse you. So, if you don’t really understand what is going on, then stay away from it.
9. Request for Personal Information: Be cautious if asked to provide sensitive information upfront, like Social Security numbers or bank details.
10. So, those are the general red flags to be looking for.
H. Here are a few other basics for protecting ourselves from financial scams and identity theft?
1. Look carefully at the information coming by email or snail mail.
a. Check the sender’s email address and the URL – the often mimic the URL or email of a legitimate business, but there will be a small difference – look for the difference.
2. Use strong and different passwords for accounts and enable two factor authentication.
3. Keep software up to date and use software that provides antivirus and firewall protection.
4. These are important practices to help safeguard us.
I. Now let’s talk about some important spiritual practices that can help protect saints from scams.
1. Three things that can make us more vulnerable to financial scams are need, greed, and pride.
2. Need, greed, and pride can reveal themselves in a person’s fear (I might not have enough), discontentment (I want more, I want what others have), and arrogance (I deserve more and I don’t need anyone’s advice).
3. Those three things (fear, discontentment, and arrogance) are very dangerous and destructive.
4. Let’s explore spiritual remedies for each of them.
J. Let’s start with fear.
1. Financial fear can arise from different things and in different ways.
2. Perhaps someone has lost their income or is deep in debt and can’t pay their bills, that creates obvious stress and anxiety.
3. Fear might also arise from a scammer’s false claim that you owe the IRS bigtime and an agent is on the way to arrest you, and the scammer will offer to help you avoid arrest…just send a certain amount of money or go to Best Buy or Walmart and get a certain amount of gift cards.
4. Regardless of the source of the fear and anxiety, the remedy is to turn to God and trust in God’s help.
a. Jesus famously declared: “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Mt. 6:31-34) – God knows our needs and we can turn to Him for help.
b. The apostle Peter declared: Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Pet. 5:7) – God loves us and wants to help carry the things we are anxious about.
c. The apostle Paul wrote: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.(Phil. 4:6-7)
5. So, turning to God and trusting in God is a great defense against fear, but in addition to turning to God, we can also turn to our brothers and sisters in Christ.
a. As the family of God, we are commanded by God to be there for each other.
b. Galatians 6:2 says: Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
c. Galatians 6:10 says: Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
d. John wrote: If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 Jn. 3:17-18)
e. God’s love in our hearts should cause us to help our brothers and sisters with their needs.
6. So, by turning to God and to the church, we can find help with our fear.
K. Now let’s talk about greed and discontentment.
1. If we are not content with what we have and if we want to get rich, then we are more vulnerable to the schemes of scammers.
2. The apostle Paul gave such helpful instructions and warnings in 1 Timothy 6, when he wrote: But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Tim. 6:6-10)
3. Discontentment and dissatisfaction are an affront to God’s provision and will make us more vulnerable to get rich quick schemes.
4. Proverbs 28:19 says: Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.
5. Hard work, careful spending and saving show good stewardship, but chasing fantasies (get rich schemes) will lead us astray.
L. The last thing in our list of three is pride or arrogance.
1. Pride and arrogance will keep us from asking for help when we need it.
2. The help we need to ask for may be help to deal with our financial needs and mess, or help in assessing a financial opportunity.
3. Proverbs has a lot to say about the wisdom of seeking advice and the foolishness of avoiding it.
a. Proverbs 12:15 says: The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.
b. Proverbs 15:22 says: Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
4. Scammers don’t want us to take time to be thorough or to seek advice, that’s why they use pressure tactics to keep it a secret and get us to move quickly.
5. So, before we get ourselves involved with a person or company that is supposed to help us with a financial problem or who is offering a great financial opportunity, seek the advice of godly and wise individuals.
6. If we humble ourselves and seek the help that we need, things will turn out better.
M. But for those who have already been scammed, let me say that I’m sorry someone exploited you.
1. I hope all of us will show compassion and grace to anyone who has suffered at the hands of scammers, because the reality is “there go I, but for the grace of God.”
2. The authorities suggest that we should report any scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.FTC.gov.
3. Although reporting the scam will not likely get you your money back, it may safeguard someone else.
4. God doesn’t want us to allow the anger and frustration of having been scammed to turn to bitterness or revenge in our hearts.
5. God promises that there will be justice in the end, maybe not in this world, but certainly in the next.
6. The apostle Paul instructs us: Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. (Rom. 12:19)
7. An important biblical principle reminds us: Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (Gal. 6:7-8)
8. Proverbs 22:8 says: Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity…
9. People who think they are getting away with injustice and exploitation are in for a rude awakening, because God sees all and will carry out His righteous judgment in due time.
N. But in the meantime, let’s do our best to protect ourselves and others from financial scams and scammers.
1. And even more importantly, let’s do our best to protect ourselves and others from the spiritual scams of false teachers who would lead us away from God’s truths.
2. Far worse than losing our money would be losing our souls.
3. Our best defense from false teachers and false teaching is the Bible itself.
4. We must know the Word of God and must obey God’s Word.
5. Proverbs 30:5 says: Every word of God is pure; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6. We must know that Jesus is the only way, truth and life and the only one that can bring us to the Father. (John 14:6)
7. We must know that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus. (Eph. 2:8)
8. We must know that we must repent and be baptized in order to have our sins washed away and in order to receive the gift of the Spirit. (Acts 2:38)
9. We must know that just as we received Christ Jesus as Lord, we must continue to live our lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as we were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Col. 2:6-7)
10. We must know that we must endure and remain faithful to the end to be saved. (Mt. 24:13)
O. So, let me ask you: Are you in Christ Jesus and are you being faithful to Jesus our Lord and Savior?
1. If you are not in Christ or are not being faithful to the Lord, then I pray you will repent and turn to Him.
