Scam Alert: Please Be Vigilant for Fake Emails That Claim to Come from the Rector of the Basilica or Basilica Staff

Recently, phishing/scam e-mails were sent to several Basilica of Saint Mary staff members, apostolate leaders and parishioners. The phony messages appeared to be from Father Hathaway, the Rector of the Basilica, but they were actually from scammers claiming to be him using a fake gmail account that made it appear that it was connected to the Basilica.  

Please be on alert for these type of messages and disregard and delete them if you receive any. Do not respond, give any type of personal information, or send any money if the message seems suspicious. Also, do not download any attachments that these messages from suspicious or unknown senders may contain. Be suspicious of email supposedly from an official source with bad spelling or grammar. Beware of emails that create a sense of urgency or danger. These kinds of scams often try to short-circuit recipients’ natural skepticism by suggesting that something bad will happen if they don’t act quickly. Treat email links with extra caution if the message warns of pending account closures, scheduled payment failures or suspicious activity on one of your financial accounts.

Although it may appear at first to be from Father Hathaway, or another member of the Basilica’s staff, the best way to verify is by checking the sender’s e-mail address. All correspondence from a member of the Basilica’s staff will originate from an e-mail address that ends in @stmaryoldtown.org. 

Thank you for your vigilance.