We have all received those emails. You know the ones–the ones from scammers. Someone wants to bless you with millions of dollars in an off-shore account. Or someone in Africa, someone unknown to you, just died and they picked you, of all people, to leave an inheritance.
Then there are the emails allegedly from people who in your address book–people you know–emails that just don’t seem right. A person emails you out of the blue, with a strange request–a request usually involving an emergency request for money. Yesterday, I received one of those emails.
Instead of deleting the email, I decided to turn it into an evangelism opportunity. What I did wasn’t unique or praiseworthy. Many Christians have done it, for the glory of God and the furtherance of the gospel. But maybe be you’ve never considered turning the tables on an email scammer by communicating the gospel to him or her. If this is you, then maybe this story will encourage you.
First Email from the Scammer
I was working on a blog article when my computer alerted me to a new email. It was from a lady named Barbara. The subject line read: “Drastic Favor !! Barbara.”
Everything about the title screamed “suspicious.” Drastic favor? Who talks like that? No one I know. And who puts their name in the subject line? Again, no one I know.
The email address indeed belonged to my friend, Barbara–at least it once belonged to her. I hadn’t heard from Barbara in a few years.
The email read:
Hey,
Hope you are well, I need your urgent support.
Barbara
Let the Games Begin!
Since there was a one-in-a-million chance Barbara was emailing me and truly needed my help, I responded as if Barbara was really trying to reach me.
I wrote:
Barbara?
Haven’t heard from you in many years. What’s up? How’s Jack?
I waited for the reply. It didn’t take long.
Glad to hear from you, Please I need you to help me Buy an iTunes Gift card for my Niece at any Groceries store around you. It’s her birthday but I cannot do this at the moment. because I’m currently In transit. Kindly let me know if you can help me handle this.
I await your reply
Barbara
Poor sentence structure; bad grammar; errors in capitalization. The Barbara I know is a very intelligent lady with command of the English language. The “Barbara” sending me emails–not so much. “Barbara” was awaiting my reply. So, I sent her one.
Where do you live, Barbara?
Again, the reply quickly came.
Here is my address (address redacted) . please let me know if you can help me purchase the iTunes cards?
The address “Barbara” gave me was for her husband’s office, which is easy to find in a Google search. I decided to ask “Barbara” a question only the real Barbara could correctly answer.Barbara,
I might be able to help with the gift card.
Sure has been a long time since we’ve seen each other. I’ll never forget that trip we took together. What was your favorite part of the trip?
Tony
I was blessed to meet Jack and Barbara on a trip to Israel. I was serving as the director of the Ambassadors’ Alliance for Living Waters, at the time. Ray Comfort decided to film in the Holy Land for an upcoming season of “The Way of the Master” television program. We took about 20 ministry donors with us. Jack and Barbara were part of that group.
The scammer (obviously not the real Barbara_ replied:
Tony, I could not remember what you were talking about. can you help me get the cards so I can instruct you on how to purchase them?
Barbara
It was the kind of reply I expected. It was time to confront the scammer.
The Scammer Receives the Gospel Instead of My Money
I replied with the following:
Barbara,
You can’t remember the trip we took together? Really? We met on that trip.
The reason you can’t remember is because you are not Barbara. Whoever you are, you’ve hacked Barbara’s email account, and you’re trying to scam me.
I am not angry with you. Not at all.
I am VERY glad you’ve contacted me. It’s a blessing to me.
While you won’t be receiving any of my money, what I want to give you is of FAR greater value.
I hope you will take the time to read what follows. Your life depends on it.
Whoever you are, man or woman, you were created in the image of God. Like me, you are an image bearer of your Creator. As such, there are a couple things we have in common. You and I both know God exists. His creation testifies to both His existence and His power. And we both have a God-given conscience. God has written His law on both of our hearts.
You, whoever you are, know that lying and stealing are wrong. You know that because you were created in the image of God, and the God who created you is not a liar and thief as you have shown yourself to be today.
You know it’s wrong to take God’s name in vain because you were created in the image of God and He is not a blasphemer as you may be.
You know it’s wrong to hate others. You know it’s wrong to harbor bitterness or resentment in your heart. You know this is wrong because you were created in the image of God and He is not a murderer-at-heart as are. By trying to steal from me, you have shown your hatred for me.
But again, I am not angry with you.
When you die, you will stand before your creator—God—to give an account for your life. He will judge you according to the perfect moral standard (His law), which He has written on your heart. He will find you guilty of violating His law and He will punish you accordingly. The just and righteous punishment God has determined for breaking His law (sin) is eternity in Hell.
I don’t want that for you. I don’t want you to perish in your sin. As a Christian, I am commanded by God to love my neighbor. Even though you have lied to me and have tried to steal my money, I love you as my neighbor.
God has provided only ONE way for you to receive forgiveness for the sins you have committed against Him, including the sins you have committed by trying to scam me.
2,000 years ago, God the Father sent His Son to earth in the person of Jesus Christ—truly God and truly Man, yet without sin. He was born of a virgin, just as Isaiah the prophet declared more than 700 years before His physical birth. As God in the flesh, He lived a perfect life in thought, word, and deed. He lived that life of perfection for some 33 years—a life you have failed to live today.
At a time appointed before the foundation of the world, Jesus Christ, God the Son, voluntarily went to a Roman cross. He suffered and died a horrific bloody death He did not deserve in order to take upon Himself the punishment you rightly deserve for your sins against God. He was buried, and then three days later He rose from the grave, forever defeating sin and death. He is alive today and will return at a time of the Father’s choosing—a time no person knows.
When Jesus returns, He will not return as a helpless baby in a manger. He will return as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah to judge both the living and the dead.
What God commands of you, whoever you are, is that you repent and believe the gospel—the good news I just communicated to you. God commands you to receive His Son, Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior. He commands you to humble yourself and submit yourself to Him.
The good news: if God causes you to be born again—literally born from above—He will take your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. He will take your hardened sinful heart—a heart that would have you spend your time trying to steal from people via email—and change it. You will begin to love the things God loves and you will begin to hate the things God hates—namely, your own sin.
Come to faith in Jesus Christ and He will FORGIVE your sin. He will remove your sin as far as the east is from the west and remember it no more. You will be reconciled to the God you have spent your life offending by your sin and hatred toward Him. And you will have the assurance of eternal life in heaven, with Him, through faith in Jesus Christ.
But if you remain in your present spiritual condition, what awaits you is the fire of hell—the just and horrific wrath of God, forever and ever.
Turn to Jesus Christ. Receive forgiveness and eternal life while God has given you time. You are not promised your next breath, let alone tomorrow. God could call you to account today for the sins you have committed by trying to steal from me.
Turn to Christ and live, while God has given you time.
With the hope of one day seeing you in heaven, and praying for you,
Tony
Join me in praying this scammer comes to genuine repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. And the next time you receive an email from a scammer, consider sharing the gospel with him or her.
Bill B. says
I also do something similar with telemarketers. I get calls almost daily and I use to just block the phone number and move on, but the Lord placed on my heart to ask them a simple question. I politely listen to their pitch and then I ask them one question: If you were to die today where would you spend eternity, Heaven or Hell? Most of the time they just hang-up but at the very least I am able to place the so called “pebble in their shoe”. Every once in a while if they stay on the phone just long enough, I am able to give them a verse or two.
Take care brother and may God continue to richly bless you, your family and your ministry.