NEW POINT, Ind. – A local minister is warning other churches about a potential scam after his church received a strange call last week.
The caller, who identified himself as Johnathon Snead, said he would be attending New Point Christian Church this past weekend and requested to speak with an elder or minister.
Minister Mark Vice told us he researched the number and it has been associated with scam reports.
“When he used that name, it wasn’t a name that I recognized from this area, and I’ve been here awhile,” Vice said. “So then I ran the number on Google and that is what came up.”
Vice said it seemed as if the caller was knowledgeable of church terminology and may have done some homework before calling.
“We have elders and deacons, and other churches may have just deacons, and we use the term minister while others may use pastor, and he knew that,” Vice explained.
“My guess would be is that he is probably using the [internet] and getting different church web pages and using the language we use.”
The call came from phone number (901) 786-3627, which originates from the Memphis, Tennessee area.
Research reveals the caller has previously went under the alias of Michael Ayers, Nick Thompson, and Mike Judge.
A man calling from this number has also reached out to other churches across the country asking for money for coveralls and boots, claiming he was starting a new job.
One complainant wrote in an online blog, “I asked if I could call his employer to confirm his story and he got angry and disconnected.”
Another user stated, “Received a call at our church requesting 125.00-150.00 to buy overalls and steel toed boots because he used to attend our church and was moving back to this area. Stated his wife divorced him and burned all his clothes. He needed overalls and boots to start a new job in this area but had not moved here yet. When asked where he was moving from he hung up.”
It’s worth noting that Johnathon Snead, who told New Point Christian Church he would be in attendance last weekend, was nowhere to be found Sunday morning.
The New Point minister advises others to be vigilant and conduct research when things don’t add up.
In the past few months, we have reported on scammers targeting homes, schools and churches. Police remind us if it doesn’t sound right, do not give any personal information over the phone.
Those who feel that they have been targeted should file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center website, which is in partnership with the FBI.
