This item appears in the September 2024 Headquarters Update newsletter.

We want to alert our community about recent phishing attempts targeting our temples and members. Fraudulent emails have been sent that appear to come from our ministers, but in reality, they originate from unknown email addresses, such as rev.reverend@keemail.me. These emails typically request gift cards or money, and may instruct recipients not to call the minister and to respond only via email, claiming the matter is urgent and confidential—such as surprising temple members with a gift.

These emails are not from our ministers. Scammers likely created fake email addresses using our reverends’ names to exploit their public role and the trust of our community.

Please be aware:

• Our ministers will never ask for gift cards or money via email.
• If you receive such an email, do not respond or click on any links, as this may compromise your security.
• On our website at https://hongwanjihawaii.com/temples/, you can look up email addresses for temples and ministers.
• If in doubt, call the minister or temple office directly to verify the email’s authenticity.

If the email is determined to be fraudulent, you may file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at IC3.gov. Reporting these crimes is quick, and the information you provide helps the FBI identify patterns and build cases against the perpetrators. These crimes often target elder individuals, and timely reporting is crucial, as cybercrimes involving victims over 60 can result in stiffer penalties.

By staying vigilant and reporting suspicious emails, we can protect our community and support efforts to combat cybercrime.