SAN ANTONIO — This week, reports from across the country revealed criminals are posing as priests and pastors to con parishioners.
KENS 5 has learned at least three local churches have received several reports of this happening to their church members.
Ana Guzman is the activity center manager at St. Margaret Mary Alacoque Catholic Church. Guzman said that on Monday, she received a text from someone who identified themselves at the church pastor, asking her for a favor.
"They said that they needed a Google Play card for $500 for a friend that was going through cancer in the hospital," Guzman said.
The text stated that Rev. Father Jimmy Drennan could not talk on the phone, but needed the gift card as soon as possible.
"I called him and I asked him if he had text me and he said no," Guzman said. "I looked at the number, the area code number, and I realized it wasn't from San Antonio. I looked it up and it was from Oregon, and I realized this wasn't right."
Drennan said this is the seventh report of a scheme with similar through-lines. KENS 5 confirmed parishioners have received similar texts and fake emails from people posing as priests from St. Francis and St. Brigid Catholic Church.
Staff at all three churches confirm they have warned their members about the scheme via their bulletins or in mass.
"I'm offended by it," Drennan said. "I don't think that any one of us want to have our name place out there like that."
Drennan, a former police officer, said this scheme is not new and not limited to the Catholic community. He said people need to know that any nonprofit organization has to properly document every donation.
"Anything that deviates from that, especially high-pressure, 'I'm inaccessible,' you can not contact me, you must just do what I say'—any of those things should be red flags to anyone donating to a nonprofit organization," Drennan said.
He said he encourages those who want to donate to make sure they follow protocol to ensure their offering is going to the right place.
If you feel you receive a phony text or email, report it to the church.