Alfred Street Baptist Church Warns of Phishing Scam Impersonating Pastor Wesley
The Information Technology (IT) department at Alfred Street Baptist Church has issued a warning to its members regarding suspicious email messages impersonating its senior Pastor Howard-John Wesley.
The church’s Information Technology (IT) & Communications department confirmed receiving reports of these emails and identified them as a phishing scam. The emails, distributed from various Gmail accounts, attempt to solicit financial information and request meetings with church members.
“We take this cyber incident very seriously,” stated the church’s IT department in a social media post. “We are currently gathering evidence and working to resolve the situation.”
The church emphasized that Pastor Wesley would never request gift cards or meetings through email. They urged members to be cautious of suspicious emails.
“If you should receive any emails from Pastor Wesley, please delete them immediately,” the church advised. “Do not click on the email message or click on any links associated with the email. Furthermore, do not forward the email messages to anyone. Please delete any emails that appear to be coming from him.”
The Alfred Street Baptist Church (ASBC) is a historic African-American Baptist church located in Alexandria, Virginia. It was founded in 1803, making it one of the oldest Baptist churches in the United States. The church is affiliated with the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., the largest African-American religious denomination in the world.
Today, the ASBC is a thriving congregation with over 10,000 members. The church offers a variety of ministries and programs, including worship services, Bible studies, youth programs, and social justice initiatives. The ASBC is also home to a renowned choir and orchestra.
In November 2023, the church celebrated its 220th anniversary with a special worship service, featuring the church’s renowned Psalms of Praise choir and its symphony orchestra
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