Email Scam Alert: How to Recognize Messages Impersonating TUUC Staff
From time to time, scammers may send emails pretending to be the minister, a staff member, or another leader of Tahoma Unitarian Universalist Congregation (TUUC). These messages may look convincing because they include the person’s name, title, TUUC’s address, or other publicly available information.
A Recent Example
Many congregants recently received an email appearing to come from Rev. Margo Rinehart. The message read:
“I hope you’re well. I have a matter of some urgency that I would like to discuss with you and would appreciate your discretion. Are you available to continue this conversation over email?
I look forward to your prompt response.
Blessings.”
The email was signed with Rev. Margo’s name, title, TUUC’s address, and website.
This email was a scam and was not sent by Rev. Margo or TUUC.
What These Scammers Are Trying to Do
These scams often begin with a simple message asking whether you are available to help with something “urgent” or “confidential.” The first email may not ask for money at all.
If you respond, the scammer may follow up with a request to purchase gift cards, send money, provide account information, or take some other action on behalf of the person they are impersonating.
The sense of urgency and request for discretion are intended to encourage you to act before verifying the message.
How to Recognize a Suspicious TUUC Email
Check the sender’s actual email address—not just the displayed name. A scammer can easily make an email appear to be from “Rev. Margo Rinehart” or another TUUC leader.
Official TUUC email communications WILL ALWAYS come from an @tahomauu.com email address. A message claiming to be from TUUC staff but coming from Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, or another unrelated email domain should be treated as suspicious.
TUUC leadership will never ask you to send money, purchase gift cards, or provide financial information solely through an unexpected email request.
Be especially cautious when a message:
- asks you to keep the conversation confidential;
- creates an unusual sense of urgency;
- asks whether you are available to “help with something” without explaining what it is;
- requests gift cards, money, passwords, account information, or other sensitive information;
- asks you to reply to an unfamiliar email address; or
- seems unusual or out of character for the person supposedly sending it.
What Should I Do If I Receive One?
Do not reply to the suspicious email. Do not click links, open attachments, purchase anything, or provide personal or financial information.
Instead, verify the request independently.
Contact the person using a phone number or email address you already know to be legitimate. You can also contact TUUC directly at admin@tahomauu.com or minister@tahomauu.com.
Do not use contact information supplied in the suspicious message itself to verify whether the message is legitimate.
Once you have confirmed that an email is fraudulent, mark it as spam or phishing in your email program and delete it.
When in Doubt, Verify First
Scammers rely on people responding quickly because a message appears to come from someone they know and trust. There is never any harm in stopping to verify an unusual request.
If an email claiming to be from TUUC, our minister, staff, or congregational leadership doesn’t seem quite right, don’t respond to it. Contact us through a known TUUC email address or phone number first.