A priest’s Facebook was hacked by a scammer using his good name in an attempt to con people out of their personal information, even cash.
A series of off Facebook messages set off “red flags” for Sue Senden in Council Bluffs. “I got money from them and I saw your name on the list when the UPS company agent came to deliver me mine, I think you applied for it too,” Sue Senden said.
The problem is the person on the other end of the keyboard was posing as a priest, Richard C. Swenson. “He said he thinks I should contact the agent in charge right now, I said oh who is that? Because I already smelled a rat, I realized this was a con and a come on,” Senden said.
Swenson later wrote on his Facebook that he was hacked. “These people hacked into an account of a very nice priest, who comes down and some special supply at the Trinity Cathedral in Omaha. It’s so sad that they would do that to somebody that never harmed a fly,” Senden said.
The issues with typing were a clue for Senden but then the alleged scammer asked Senden to contact a fake number 601-207-3908 “Don’t call, text him,” Senden said.
In fact the scammer posing as the priest got the attention of the Council Bluffs Police Department. They posted a message of their own. This scammer “wants you to text your number to a special agent Robert Scott so you can get your money, remember if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.”
Senden didn’t fall for it and wanted to warn others, “Probably getting to your bank accounts, think that is their key. Usually with hackers or con men it’s money, that’s what they want,” Senden said.
Council Bluffs police are asking all of us to be on the lookout and not to fall for this. If you think you may have been targeted by this hack or been in contact with this scammer, contact them at 712-328-STOP.