The Growing Sophistication of Generosity Fraud.

In the digital age, churches must protect their members’ generosity. Unfortunately, church giving continues to be a growing target for fraudsters, who exploit the trust and faith inherent within religious communities.

Here are a few real-life scenarios we have witnessed over the past year.

Scenario #1: Impersonation

Vision2 was contacted by someone claiming to be a lead pastor who needed to set up a payment gateway quickly. Despite the contact having detailed personal information, including the pastor’s social security number and home address, we contacted the church, given the contact’s suspicious urgency. Unfortunately, the contact had already established a payment gateway through another platform and was able to secure about $50,000.

Scenario #2: Hacking the Administrative System

A hacker accessed a church employee's personal email account that was tied to the church's all-in-one platform. This allowed the hacker to change administrative passwords, locking out church staff. The breach went undetected, and the hacker redirected giving deposits to an external account, costing the church about $100K.

Scenario #3: Physical Theft

Another church, whose giving was primarily physical donations (cash/check), was broken into, and thieves took a safe containing over $200K in donations.

These examples highlight the sophistication of such attacks, ranging from impersonation to hacking into administrative systems. The financial repercussions for each church were significant, not only in terms of monetary loss but also in terms of the potential erosion of trust within the church community.

To safeguard against these Types of threats, it is crucial to implement robust security measures.

• Eliminating third-party handoffs is a foundational step; it maintains control over security protocols and ensures that sensitive donor information remains confidential and is not commoditized.
• Implementing access controls is equally important. They serve as gatekeepers to prevent unauthorized access to your givers’ data by church employees or the giving platform.
• Preserving transaction history to establish an unalterable record, which provides a clear audit trail in the event of any discrepancies.
• Educating church leadership is a powerful tool in the fight against fraud. Being informed about the various tactics fraudsters use helps them spot and stop fraudulent activities proactively.
• Similarly, educating your members on the risks associated with traditional methods of giving, such as checks, can encourage the adoption of more secure giving methods, such as online giving.

The Role of Church Leadership

Leading these initiatives is paramount for church leadership, including the head of technology. By fostering a security-minded culture and implementing these steps, you can fortify the church's defenses against fraud. This proactive approach protects the church's finances and reinforces the trust that members place in the institution. Through such diligence, the spirit of giving can continue to flourish unimpeded by the threat of malicious actors.

Download this overview of Vision2's security measures designed to protect your church and members. -->