Helping protect our church family online

In our digital world, scammers frequently target church communities because they know congregants are generous, caring people who are willing help when a need arises. Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church is here to help you to navigate your inbox safely. By following these guidelines, we can work together to protect your personal security and safeguard the privacy of our entire church family. Church pastors and staff members will only send official correspondence from an email address ending in @vpcnaples.org. This is the only email domain you should ever trust when communicating with us.

Beware of Lookalike Accounts

When reviewing your emails, always look past the "Display Name" and check the actual email address in the brackets:

  • Real & Safe: Pastor Rob Marrow <rmarrow@vpcnaples.org>
  • Scam (Free Account): Rev. Rob Marrow <revcare1274@gmail.com>
  • Scam (Lookalike Domain): Pastor Rob <spam@vanderbiltpresby.org>

Never trust a sender by their display name alone. If an email claiming to be from church staff comes from a Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, or lookalike address, it is a scam. Do not reply, and delete it immediately.


VPC will NEVER ask you for....

Our staff will ever send an unexpected email or text message asking you for:

  • Gift Cards: (such as iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, or Visa gift cards)
  • Digital Currencies: (such as Bitcoin or crypto wire transfers)
  • Urgent Monetary Transfers: (such as ATM withdrawals, Venmo, or bank routing requests)
  • Secretive Favors: (messages saying "I need your help urgently, but I am in a meeting and cannot talk on the phone")


Phone Call & Text Message Safety

  • Caller ID Spoofing: Scammers have the technology to make a fake call look like it is coming from a local number. If you ever receive a suspicious phone call asking for money, personal details, or immediate action, hang up immediately.
  • To verify any phone communication, always call our official office lines directly:
  • Church Office: 239.597.5410
  • Preschool: 239.594.9557


Protecting Privacy: The Directory Rule

One of the most common church scams involves attackers trying to get their hands on member contact lists so they can target more people.

Please protect your fellow church members: Never share church membership directories, PDF contact lists, or private member contact information with anyone who requests them via email. If someone asks you for another member's contact details, please refer them directly to the church office.


Digital Security

When you receive a spam email from a Gmail account or a lookalike web address pretending to be a pastor or staff member, it is understandable to worry that someone has broken into the church’s computer network. We want to clarify that receiving an email from a fake or lookalike address almost always means someone is copying our names and church details—it does not mean someone has broken into church computers or our official email systems. Scammers take public information—such as staff names and leadership roles listed on our website or in our Sunday bulletins—and set up fake accounts on their own. While we continuously work to safeguard our technology infrastructure, understanding this difference helps us all recognize these messages for what they truly are: simple, external attempts to impersonate our church leadership.


What to Do If You Accidentally Responded to a Scam

We understand that scammers are clever, and anyone can be caught off guard. If you accidentally replied to a suspicious email, clicked a link, or purchased gift cards, please do not feel embarrassed—we are here to support you. Take these immediate steps:

  • If you shared financial information: Contact your bank or credit card company immediately to flag the activity and freeze the affected account.
    If you bought gift cards:     Call the customer service number on the back of the cards right away to see if they can freeze the funds before the scammer drains them.
  • If you clicked a link or opened an attachment: Run a security scan on your computer or device using your antivirus software.
  • Let us know: Call the church office at 239.597.5410


When in Doubt, We Are Here to Help!

We always prefer that you ask a question rather than risk dealing with a scammer. A phone call or verification check is never a burden.

If you ever receive an email, text, or phone call that is suspicious:

  • Do not reply, click any links, or download any attachments.
  • Call the church office at 239.597.5410.
  • Use the "Report Spam" or "Junk" button in your email program, then delete the message entirely.


No Request is Too Urgent to Wait: Please know that no real request from church staff will ever be so urgent that it cannot wait until regular business hours. If you receive a strange message when the church office is closed, do not reply or send money.


Thank you for helping us stay safe and secure!