Sask. church says scammers have been posing as clergy members

The Blessed Sacrament Church can be seen in this file photo. (Cally Stephanow/CTV Regina)

The Archdiocese of Regina is warning parishioners and residents following an increase phishing emails – where scammers have been posing as members of the church’s clergy.

In a warning posted to social media, the church said it has become aware of circulating emails claiming to be from Archbishop Donald Bolen and other clergy of the Archdiocese of Regina, requesting private funds, gift cards, or other personal financial assistance.

“Unfortunately, scams like these are common. We encourage everyone to stay vigilant and familiarize themselves with the signs of phishing attempts, such as urgent or unusual requests, poor grammar, and suspicious email addresses,” the Archdiocese said in its warning.

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The church encourages anyone who receives suspicious emails to not respond and delete it immediately.

“There is no need to forward these emails to our offices, as it is safe to assume we have received them as well,” the Archdiocese added.

According to the Regina Police Service (RPS), residents in the city have lost approximately $750,000 in over 130 scams since the beginning of the year.