Congregation Benevolence Fund Scams on Facebook
Scammers impersonate a church's clergy or benevolence committee on Facebook, messaging congregation members to request emergency 'fund' donations that go straight to the fraudster.
Part of: Congregation Benevolence Fund Scam
Last reviewed: 5 July 2026
Many churches maintain a benevolence fund used to help members facing sudden hardship, funded by regular congregation giving and administered with some discretion by clergy or a designated committee. On Facebook, scammers exploit the public nature of church pages, member groups, and clergy profiles, cloning them or messaging directly to solicit fake emergency benevolence requests that bypass the church's real, more careful process.
How this scam works on Facebook
A scammer creates a Facebook profile cloned to closely resemble a real pastor, priest, or benevolence committee member, often copying their profile photo and friends list, then sends messages to congregation members claiming an urgent need has arisen, a fellow member facing eviction, a medical emergency, or a natural disaster, and that a quick benevolence fund donation is needed directly to a personal account or payment app. Because the message appears to come from a trusted, recognizable figure in the congregation, members are more likely to give quickly without the verification they might apply to a stranger's request.
A related version targets church Facebook pages directly, with the scammer posting a fabricated benevolence appeal in the comments or as a boosted ad styled to look like an official church post, directing donations to a payment link that has no connection to the actual church's verified giving platform, diverting funds intended for genuine congregation members in need.
Common red flags
- A benevolence fund request sent by Facebook message rather than through the church's normal announcement or bulletin process
- A profile that looks like clergy or a committee member but has a recently created account, few mutual friends, or slightly different name spelling
- Requests to send money directly to a personal account or payment app rather than the church's official giving platform
- Urgency pressing for an immediate donation without time to verify with the church office
- Vague details about the person supposedly in need that cannot be confirmed with other congregation members
- A comment or ad on the church's real Facebook page linking to a donation site outside the church's known giving platform
How to protect yourself
- Verify any benevolence fund request by calling the church office directly using a known phone number, not one provided in the message
- Give only through the church's official, verified giving platform or in person, never to a personal account requested via social media message
- Check with other congregation members or church staff before responding to an urgent, unusual giving request
- Report and block cloned profiles impersonating clergy or committee members
- Encourage the church to publicly clarify its real process for benevolence requests to reduce confusion
- Enable extra scrutiny for any donation request received only through Facebook Messenger rather than a known church channel
How to report it
- Report the cloned or suspicious profile to Facebook using the in-app 'Report' feature
- Report to Action Fraud (UK) at actionfraud.police.uk or the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov (US)
- Notify the church office so they can warn other congregation members and address the impersonation
- Contact your bank or payment provider immediately if you have already sent money
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if a benevolence request from my pastor is genuine?
Call the church office directly using a number you already know or can find independently, do not rely on a phone number or account details provided within the suspicious message itself.
What should I do if I find a cloned profile of my pastor?
Report it to Facebook immediately, notify the church so they can warn the congregation, and avoid engaging with the fake profile at all.