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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
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Collaborative workshops on assessing risks, mitigating crises, and managing contingencies
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Partner together to provide 24/7 emergency access, consultation, and threat analysis
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NEWS FOR YOU
The Helpful Distraction Scam
Travel is one of the greatest gifts God gives us—a chance to see His world, meet His people, and (let’s be honest) try foods that probably aren’t in your church potluck rotation. But with every new adventure comes a new set of risks, and one of the most common threats faith-based travelers face is the classic “helpful local” distraction scam. When Kindness Isn’t So Kind This scam works because it plays off something that faith-based travelers tend to have in abundance: trust. Scam artists know that mission teams, church groups, and pilgrim travelers are usually friendly, approachable, and eager not to offend. Unfortunately, scammers also know how to weaponize kindness. Picture this: You’re leading a group through a bustling bazaar, squeezing between spice stalls and vendors selling the world’s most convincing knockoff sunglasses. Suddenly, a smiling stranger taps your shoulder and says, “Oh! You dropped this!” You instinctively turn around—because of course you do, you’re a decent human being. But while you’re looking, their partner is quietly unzipping your backpack or slipping your phone out of your pocket. By the time you realize you didn’t actually drop anything, the scammer duo is gone—along with your passport pouch. It’s the travel version of the classic magician’s trick: “Look over here… while I steal your stuff over there.” Why This Scam Matters When you’re far from home, losing your wallet or passport is more than an inconvenience. It can throw off your ministry schedule, delay your team’s travel, drain your resources, and create stress that overshadows your mission’s purpose. This scam is especially effective on groups trying to be courteous and Christlike. And no, you’re not being “less loving” by staying alert. Even the Apostle Paul dodged danger when he saw it coming—awareness is biblical! Mitigation Tips ~ Use anti-theft bags with locking or hidden zippers. ~ Teach your group the “hand check” habit: Every time there’s a distraction, everyone instinctively touches their valuables. ~ Wear bags in front when moving through crowds—yes, it’s a fashion downgrade, but so was every youth-group T-shirt from 1998. ~ Assign a rear guard—a mature team member who keeps eyes on the back of the group. ~ Practice distraction drills before you travel; make it fun, but make it real. By combining humility with situational awareness, your team can stay both kind and protected—and focus on the mission that brought you there. |
TIPS & ADVICE
Are You Ready Already?
We are definitely full throttle into this year’s schedule of church events – you know - cantatas, pageants, and extra services. 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.
I ask the following questions not to depress you, but to bring the situations to mind and make you think about preparing. Here are ten to get you started:
~ Do we have an emergency response plan that addresses weather, medical, fire, and mechanical failures?
~ Do we have an emergency response plan that can help prepare us for a violent event and other victimization incidents?
~ Has our team been trained to deal with conflict without using physical force or weapons?
~ Have we conducted an assessment to identify what areas of our ministry are most vulnerable?
~ Have we formed, trained, and equipped a safety team to handle emergencies that would include: evacuations, lockdowns, lockouts, first aid, and communication?
~ Does our team maintain certification training in CPR, basic First Aid, and AED?
~ Do we regularly conduct drills and exercises to practice what we intend to do during and after a crisis?
~ Have we implemented security monitoring equipment (i.e. cameras, alarms, intercoms, etc.) to help ensure the safety and communication of our members?
~ Does our team have primary and secondary means to communicate during emergencies in order to manage crowd movement (i.e. radios, intercoms, alarms, etc.)?
~ Do we regularly communicate with our congregation about what to do in the event of an emergency?
~ 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.
We are definitely full throttle into this year’s schedule of church events – you know - cantatas, pageants, and extra services. 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.
I ask the following questions not to depress you, but to bring the situations to mind and make you think about preparing. Here are ten to get you started:
~ Do we have an emergency response plan that addresses weather, medical, fire, and mechanical failures?
~ Do we have an emergency response plan that can help prepare us for a violent event and other victimization incidents?
~ Has our team been trained to deal with conflict without using physical force or weapons?
~ Have we conducted an assessment to identify what areas of our ministry are most vulnerable?
~ Have we formed, trained, and equipped a safety team to handle emergencies that would include: evacuations, lockdowns, lockouts, first aid, and communication?
~ Does our team maintain certification training in CPR, basic First Aid, and AED?
~ Do we regularly conduct drills and exercises to practice what we intend to do during and after a crisis?
~ Have we implemented security monitoring equipment (i.e. cameras, alarms, intercoms, etc.) to help ensure the safety and communication of our members?
~ Does our team have primary and secondary means to communicate during emergencies in order to manage crowd movement (i.e. radios, intercoms, alarms, etc.)?
~ Do we regularly communicate with our congregation about what to do in the event of an emergency?
~ 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.
Beware of the Seasonal Shopping Scams!
Scammers love the holiday season, unfortunately, its not for the celebration of Christ but to steal from you. The two most common scams are non-delivery and non-payment crimes so be prudent.
Non-delivery scam - a buyer pays for goods or services they find online, but never receives them.
Non-payment scam - a seller provides promised goods or services, but never gets paid in return.
The runner-ups are auction frauds, where a product is misrepresented on an auction site, and gift card frauds, when a seller asks you to pay with a pre-paid card.
So here some short but sweet, straight to the point tips to help expose scammers during the holiday season and beyond:
~ Secure all financial accounts with strong passwords or passphrases. We’ve always recommended using different passwords for each financial account, as well as multifactor authentication, whenever available.
~Buy directly from secure and reputable websites. Avoid unfamiliar sites, especially if they’re offering unrealistic discounts on brand-name merchandise.
~Before making a purchase, verify the legitimacy of buyers or sellers. If you’re using an online marketplace or auction website, check those feedback ratings. Be wary of any buyers and sellers with lots of unfavorable ratings or no ratings at all.
~Credit cards provide several layers of security against fraud and are typically the safest way to conduct online shopping. Some companies even provide single use numbers for online shopping.
~Avoid sellers and websites that demand payment fully through gift cards — that’s a major red flag for fraud.
Scammers love the holiday season, unfortunately, its not for the celebration of Christ but to steal from you. The two most common scams are non-delivery and non-payment crimes so be prudent.
Non-delivery scam - a buyer pays for goods or services they find online, but never receives them.
Non-payment scam - a seller provides promised goods or services, but never gets paid in return.
The runner-ups are auction frauds, where a product is misrepresented on an auction site, and gift card frauds, when a seller asks you to pay with a pre-paid card.
So here some short but sweet, straight to the point tips to help expose scammers during the holiday season and beyond:
~ Secure all financial accounts with strong passwords or passphrases. We’ve always recommended using different passwords for each financial account, as well as multifactor authentication, whenever available.
~Buy directly from secure and reputable websites. Avoid unfamiliar sites, especially if they’re offering unrealistic discounts on brand-name merchandise.
~Before making a purchase, verify the legitimacy of buyers or sellers. If you’re using an online marketplace or auction website, check those feedback ratings. Be wary of any buyers and sellers with lots of unfavorable ratings or no ratings at all.
~Credit cards provide several layers of security against fraud and are typically the safest way to conduct online shopping. Some companies even provide single use numbers for online shopping.
~Avoid sellers and websites that demand payment fully through gift cards — that’s a major red flag for fraud.
