David Corrigan, the Marist Superior of Ireland has written to let us know that there’s someone targeting Marist communities, telling a story in order to get some money.
As part of their approach, they are using the Society of Mary General Index, so have access to names, addresses, phone numbers etc.
So far in Ireland the scammers have phoned four community houses, along with the the Provincial House of the Marist Sisters. They told a story, naming a Marist from the Oceania province who was traveling to Ireland (with his mother) for a funeral, but was being prevented by immigration control at Manila airport from boarding the plane until some tax or other is paid.
He had all the names and places of people. He also had the names, addresses of places to send moneygrams. He also knew of the recent General Chapter.
The scam was revealed by calling the named Marist’s community, finding him to be home.