Answers

By   •   January 15, 2013   •   Topics:

Q:

I got an email the other day saying that I have inherited some money from someone I never met, and all I have to do is send them my bank account number and a processing fee and it will be mine. My grandson says it's a scam, but how does he know? I sure could use the money, and anyway I want to give more to my church.


A:

Your grandson is almost certainly right, and I strongly urge you to delete this email and not reply to it in any way.

Don’t be fooled by schemes like this or allow yourself to be misled by their false promises. Giving personal information (such as your bank account or Social Security number) to an unknown person over the Internet is an almost certain recipe for financial disaster — as countless people have discovered. Your money could disappear in an instant with no possibility of recovery, and you also might find yourself fighting a whole series of other issues brought about by financial fraud.

Your desire to give more to your church is commendable, but don’t let it lead you astray. Be grateful for the money God has given you (even if it isn’t much), and don’t fall for anything that might put it at risk. Get-rich-quick schemes seldom work out, no matter how tempting they are. Instead, the Bible says, “he who gathers money little by little makes it grow” (Proverbs 13:11).

The most important thing you can do, however, is to put your complete trust in Christ for your needs. God loves you, and He can be trusted to supply your needs as you look to Him for wisdom. The Bible’s promise is true: “My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).