Phone scammers target local pastors

At first it did not appear to be a big deal for First Christian Church’s pastor Ronnie Fields, but the text messages continued to come in.

“We were out to lunch as staff and our associate was sitting in the back seat, and she said, ‘Hey, I just got a text from you,’” Fields said in a News9 interview. “She said you’re in a meeting, and here we were in the same car.”

The scammers began sending the text messages on Monday. A similar scenario happened to Pastor Bill Williams at Community Church.

The message reads, “Ronnie i {sic} need a favor from you, please text me back as soon as possible. Rev. Ronnie Field.”

“We called our software company and they said they hadn’t been breached, and as we did more research, it was just a couple of groups that had gotten the text,” said Fields. “It was a really weird random select group who had gotten this.”

Fields says nobody has fallen for the scam.

Williams is letting everyone know he would never send out such a message requesting items.

“Hello friends! Today, someone at (405) 240-9404 is sending out text messages signing my name.This is not my number and it is not from me,” Williams said in a social media post.

“After you respond, they ask you to purchase a gift card as I am in a meeting. This not from me nor will I ever asked for a gift card. Please do not respond to this text. I would ask if you have received this bogus text, to text a screenshot of it to me at my real phone number or email. I may be turning all this into the authorities. And pray for whoever it may be.”