Missionaries warn of ‘Bibles for Muslim world’ scam
What’s more, it seemed plausible. Kenyan newspapers reported that the two African countries were conducting joint military operations.
But church members who gave thousands of dollars with the hopes of reaching lost souls in the Muslim world say they were scammed.
February 1, 2006
Bob and Jan Towell, coordinators of World English Institute, an Internet studies ministry, said that a clever scam artist, with roots in churches of Christ, used believable scenarios and “Great Commission vocabulary” to con church members out of more than $20,000 to send Bibles to Libya.
“He has created many fictional characters complete with e-mail addresses and false locations to further his scam,” the Towells wrote in a warning to church members. “He has also created false e-mail addresses for real people and fraudulent Web sites for non-existent congregations in the Muslim world.”
The alleged con artist has contacted churches and church members across the country seeking additional funds, the Towells wrote.
The couple asks anyone who receives a suspicious-sounding appeal to forward it to [email protected].Read the text of the Towells’ letter at www.weiady.org.
