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As groundbreaking leaders in personal security and risk management for travelers, we stand ready to equip and serve as you are called to the ends of the Earth.
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ARE YOU PREPARED?
Faith-based guidance and practice in prevention, protection, interaction, and survival
Vertical Divider
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Collaborative workshops on assessing risks, mitigating crises, and managing contingencies
Vertical Divider
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Partner together to provide 24/7 emergency access, consultation, and threat analysis
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NEWS FOR YOU
PRETEXTING 101 – The Down & Dirty
Defined as a pretended reason for doing something, that is used to hide the real reason. In other words – a bogus, yet believable situation to gain the victim's trust and make them feel comfortable disclosing certain information. Most common types include: ~ Gift card scams – It begins with an SMS or email that asks you to click a link or provide contact details to claim a prize. ~ Subject line requests – These come through emails with catchy subject lines pretending to be from a trusted source. ~ Grandparent scams – Involves urgent requests to wire money to support a family member seemingly in serious need. ~ Romance scams – When scammers trick you into a fake online relationship that seems to have potential for a real life romance. Often the fraudster asks for financial support. ~ Venmo, CashApp, etc. scams – Online payment scams happen when scammers trick you into sending them money through a popular payment app. Pretexting scams are difficult to recognize, which is why they work well, but there are several signs that may indicate that something’s not quite as it seems. Here are some red flags to watch out for: ~ Urgent language: They may try to create a sense of urgency by using language like “ASAP,” “immediately,” or "right away." ~ Strange requests: Be suspicious of any request that requires sensitive information, the transfer of funds, or unusual downloads, even if it follows normal communication channels. ~ False familiarity: Be guarded of messages with casual openings like "Are you free right now?" or "Can you do me a favor?" that come out of the blue — even if they’re supposedly from someone you know. ~ Spoofed domains: Attackers imitating a legitimate website may use similar email or URL domains, potentially including easy-to-miss spelling errors or differences in the sender's email or linked URL. Finally, some reminders to help prevent pretexting scams targeting you and your information: ~ Be alert for red flags like urgent language, spoofed email addresses, or suspicious requests. ~ Don't click on any unverified links or download suspicious attachments. ~ Don't share sensitive information with anyone before validating their identity. ~ Contact the sender through a proven channel to confirm their request. ~ Report suspicious correspondence to your supervisors and IT professionals. |
TIPS & ADVICE
SHALL WE PLAY A GAME?
The season for church harvest parties, cantatas, pageants, and extra services is here! For most churches, that means a full house with unrecognizable faces during potential inclement weather. Every time a service comes together, there are safety concerns: Health issues, mental health problems, accidents, child safety, relationship conflicts, custody issues, fire/flooding/weather issues, etc.
Now is the time to evaluate, organize, and prepare.
So, I’ll ask the following questions – not to depress you, but to bring situations to mind and make you think about planning.
Here are ten to get you started:
1. Do we have an emergency response plan that addresses weather, medical, fire, and mechanical failures?
2. Do we have an emergency response plan that can help prepare us for a violent event and other victimization incidents?
3. Has our team been trained to deal with conflict without using physical force or weapons?
4. Have we conducted an assessment to identify what areas of our ministry are most vulnerable?
5. Have we formed, trained, and equipped a safety team to handle emergencies that would include: evacuations, lockdowns, lockouts, first aid, and communication?
6. Does our team maintain certification training in CPR, basic First Aid, and AED?
7. Do we regularly conduct drills and exercises to practice what we intend to do during and after a crisis?
8. Have we implemented security monitoring equipment (i.e. cameras, alarms, intercoms, etc.) to help ensure the safety and communication of our members?
9. Does our team have primary and secondary means to communicate during emergencies in order to manage crowd movement (i.e. radios, intercoms, alarms, etc.)?
10. Do we regularly communicate with our congregation about what to do in the event of an emergency?
BONUS: Do they know when and how to evacuate and where to rally together? Have we planned for the disabled and nursery?
Check out our classes on Church Safety and Risk Management for further discussions, practices, and collaboration.
The season for church harvest parties, cantatas, pageants, and extra services is here! For most churches, that means a full house with unrecognizable faces during potential inclement weather. Every time a service comes together, there are safety concerns: Health issues, mental health problems, accidents, child safety, relationship conflicts, custody issues, fire/flooding/weather issues, etc.
Now is the time to evaluate, organize, and prepare.
So, I’ll ask the following questions – not to depress you, but to bring situations to mind and make you think about planning.
Here are ten to get you started:
1. Do we have an emergency response plan that addresses weather, medical, fire, and mechanical failures?
2. Do we have an emergency response plan that can help prepare us for a violent event and other victimization incidents?
3. Has our team been trained to deal with conflict without using physical force or weapons?
4. Have we conducted an assessment to identify what areas of our ministry are most vulnerable?
5. Have we formed, trained, and equipped a safety team to handle emergencies that would include: evacuations, lockdowns, lockouts, first aid, and communication?
6. Does our team maintain certification training in CPR, basic First Aid, and AED?
7. Do we regularly conduct drills and exercises to practice what we intend to do during and after a crisis?
8. Have we implemented security monitoring equipment (i.e. cameras, alarms, intercoms, etc.) to help ensure the safety and communication of our members?
9. Does our team have primary and secondary means to communicate during emergencies in order to manage crowd movement (i.e. radios, intercoms, alarms, etc.)?
10. Do we regularly communicate with our congregation about what to do in the event of an emergency?
BONUS: Do they know when and how to evacuate and where to rally together? Have we planned for the disabled and nursery?
Check out our classes on Church Safety and Risk Management for further discussions, practices, and collaboration.
Get Ready...
Traveling is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get. But unlike chocolates, you can take steps to ensure that you don’t get a nasty surprise. I know, that was cheesy, but still.
Before you embark on your journey, it’s important to be aware of the potential risks and dangers that come with traveling.
From pickpockets to cyber-criminals, there are plenty of people out there who would love to ruin your trip.
Here at FSA, we'd love to help you avoid those issues by giving you some straight forward, purposeful instruction.
Check out our "assortment" of classes!
So, be sure to pack your common sense, keep your wits about you, and stay alert.
Remember, the best way to stay safe is to be prepared. Happy travels!
Traveling is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get. But unlike chocolates, you can take steps to ensure that you don’t get a nasty surprise. I know, that was cheesy, but still.
Before you embark on your journey, it’s important to be aware of the potential risks and dangers that come with traveling.
From pickpockets to cyber-criminals, there are plenty of people out there who would love to ruin your trip.
Here at FSA, we'd love to help you avoid those issues by giving you some straight forward, purposeful instruction.
Check out our "assortment" of classes!
So, be sure to pack your common sense, keep your wits about you, and stay alert.
Remember, the best way to stay safe is to be prepared. Happy travels!
