Scams Target Ascension - Stay Alert!

UPDATE 11/23/21: They are at it again - new reports today of email messages asking for gift cards from Ascension clergy. Do not respond!

8/22/21:  Scams now using TEXT (SMS) messages, targeting Ascension parishioners. 

Please know and remember that Father Peter (or clergy, staff, employees) from any church or reputable organization - will NEVER ask you by email to send money or gift cards to anyone! And will not send an email asking for "a favor" without telling you more about it in the same email AND including a phone number to call to discuss in person.

An initial part of the scam may seem harmless; e.g., 'I need a favor please reply quickly.' This is the opening gambit to lure you into an exchange of (fake) emails aimed at getting you to send money or gift cards to the scammer.

Please note carefully and remember:

Father Peter's VALID EMAIL ADDRESS is 

fatherpeter@ascensionfrankfort.org

DELETE any emails you suspect to be scam. NEVER click on a link inside a suspect email! - that link is a common way for viruses to enter your device. If you have questions, contact Fr. Peter directly or call the church office at (502) 223-0557.

Once again we have a report of someone receiving a SCAM email that appears to be from Father Peter Doddema - using a FAKE address that looks like it could be his, but is NOT. We have had this "impostor" problem before, with Fr. William Jessee Neat, and it has been reported by others in our diocese and churches all around the country.

Today the fake email came from fatherpeter.ascensionfrankfort@gmail.org (fake account) and said, "Hi, Good morning. How are you? I need a favor from you. Please reply me as soon as you get this. Thank you. Reverend Peter." 

Clues to this scam are in red: the account name is not correct, there is a grammatical error, the way the name is signed is not as Peter usually signs. No phone number is provided, and the request itself is not how business (or real favors!) should be done. Again, this is an opening gambit to lure you into a (fake) exchange of emails aimed at getting you to send money or gift cards to the scammer.

This scam does not mean that access to the real email account has been obtained/hacked; it just means that someone set up a fake account name that might look real if you're not paying close attention. Anyone can set up a GMAIL account for free, and try to come up with a realistic-looking name.

A scammer could find and target your email address, to associate with Ascension and send the email to, in a variety of ways. Avoid posting your own email address anywhere online.
Note that "acensionfrankfort.org" comes AFTER the @ in the GOOD email address... that is the "domain name" and it is truly controlled through Ascension's email account as provided by Microsoft.

If "ascensionfrankfort" is BEFORE the @, or if there is any other combination of Peter/Doddema/Ascension names (or other Ascension staff/clergy names) it is NOT a valid Ascension email!

The BAD address reported today was fatherpeter.ascensionfrankfort@gmail.com;another BAD address used in the past was rev.peter.ascensionfrankfort@gmail.com -see the differences from the valid address above?

Please be careful. Do not send money or gift cards based on emails. If you are even in doubt, pick up the phone and call the person making the request, to verify.