Catholic Charities USA warns against fraudulent e-mails on Internet

Published: 2008-12-01

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Catholic Charities USA officials have demanded that groups using the Catholic Charities name to solicit funds on the Internet discontinue using the trademark and urged potential donors to research the authenticity of an organization before making a contribution. "Fraudulent e-mails that are misappropriating the name of Catholic Charities USA and its affiliates are being sent to extract money and/or personal information from unsuspecting recipients and are circulating on the Internet," said Brandon Pinney, spokesman for Catholic Charities USA. The e-mails are labeled with the subject titles "Grant Notification," "The Catholic Charity," "The Catholic Charity Foundation" and "From the Office of the Cash Grant Program," Pinney told Catholic News Service Dec. 1. The name "Catholic Charities" was used within the body of some of the e-mails, said Candy S. Hill, senior vice president for social policy and government affairs at Catholic Charities USA. The messages -- which come from several different e-mail addresses and provide a variety of contact names -- ask recipients for detailed personal information, Pinney said. In an effort to stop the e-mails, Father Larry Snyder, Catholic Charities USA president, replied Nov. 26 to each of the addresses brought to the organization's attention, insisting the sender stop disseminating such confusing messages or suffer consequences.

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