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A scam artist has called a number of churches throughout Kansas, with a compelling story and a pushy attitude to get money.
His name changes each time he calls, but the message is always the same. He claims to be active military, on the way home from the funeral of his mother-in-law. His truck is broken down in a Wal-Mart parking lot, and he needs cash. With no place to turn, he’s asking a church he claims to have once attended a few times for a little help.
“He gets really pushy about it,” said Harvey County sheriff’s department chaplain and minister Jason Reynolds. “He talks about how he will go AWOL if he can’t get home, and they are struggling already. ... If you say no, he will cuss you up one side and down the other. ... It is a last ditch-effort to make you feel horrible.”
In the end, the caller can pick up the wire transfer at any Wal-Mart, or any place that sells the wire transfers.
“He can claim to be in Kansas City, but he could be in Miami, Fla.,” said Lt. Eric Murphy of the Newton Police Department.
He has called several churches in Newton; at least five have either filed a report with the police department or spoken with Reynolds. Reynolds is a regional pastor for the Four Square Church, and knows calls have come to at least four other communities including Wellington, Wichita, Emporia and Udall.
“He is working the whole state,” Reynolds said.
There is, apparently, little that can be done to stop or catch the scammer — Reynolds said being aware is about all churches and charities can do to stop this type of scam.
The first time the scammer called Reynolds’ church, Reynolds asked where the scammer was. After establishing the man was in Kansas City, and the address where he could be found, Reynolds called a pastor he knew in Kansas City to go deliver the money in person.
But the person in need, or claiming to be in need, was nowhere to be found.
“You should have face-to-face contact,” Murphy said. “Avoid, unless you personally know the person, doing a wire transfer.”
A scam artist has called a number of churches throughout Kansas, with a compelling story and a pushy attitude to get money.
His name changes each time he calls, but the message is always the same. He claims to be active military, on the way home from the funeral of his mother-in-law. His truck is broken down in a Wal-Mart parking lot, and he needs cash. With no place to turn, he’s asking a church he claims to have once attended a few times for a little help.
“He gets really pushy about it,” said Harvey County sheriff’s department chaplain and minister Jason Reynolds. “He talks about how he will go AWOL if he can’t get home, and they are struggling already. ... If you say no, he will cuss you up one side and down the other. ... It is a last ditch-effort to make you feel horrible.”
In the end, the caller can pick up the wire transfer at any Wal-Mart, or any place that sells the wire transfers.
“He can claim to be in Kansas City, but he could be in Miami, Fla.,” said Lt. Eric Murphy of the Newton Police Department.
He has called several churches in Newton; at least five have either filed a report with the police department or spoken with Reynolds. Reynolds is a regional pastor for the Four Square Church, and knows calls have come to at least four other communities including Wellington, Wichita, Emporia and Udall.
“He is working the whole state,” Reynolds said.
There is, apparently, little that can be done to stop or catch the scammer — Reynolds said being aware is about all churches and charities can do to stop this type of scam.
The first time the scammer called Reynolds’ church, Reynolds asked where the scammer was. After establishing the man was in Kansas City, and the address where he could be found, Reynolds called a pastor he knew in Kansas City to go deliver the money in person.
But the person in need, or claiming to be in need, was nowhere to be found.
“You should have face-to-face contact,” Murphy said. “Avoid, unless you personally know the person, doing a wire transfer.”
