Important community notice — a warning about financial scams and how we can respond faithfully

Important community notice

Warning about donation scams and how we can respond faithfully

Important community notice: warning about donation scams and how we can respond faithfully

This week TheGoodNews was targeted by a fraudulent email that claimed a "free" Yamaha baby-grand piano had been donated from an estate. The scam asked recipients to contact a third-party shipper and pay delivery fees. Please do not respond to offers like this - we never solicit donations by unsolicited email.

The message used our name to try to prompt action and - potentially - to obtain money or personal information. We are sharing this publicly to warn our community, explain what happened, and reflect briefly on how our faith calls us to respond.

What happened

I received an unsolicited email that claimed to be offering a donated piano and advised the recipient to contact a named mover and cover shipping. The message matched a known donation/shipper scam pattern. No personal or banking details were provided by us and no money changed hands. We reported the correspondence to the police and are publishing this note so others are not caught unaware.

Important - how TheGoodNews handles donations

TheGoodNews is a ministry that operates on the generosity of supporters. We do have a donation page (with clear disclaimers and secure giving options) - please only trust the information and donation links on our official website or by calling our official phone number. We will never solicit donations by unsolicited email or request bank details via email. If you wish to support our work, please use our donation page.

Practical steps - what to do if you see something similar

• Do not reply, click links, open attachments, or provide personal or banking information.
• Know our policy: TheGoodNews does not solicit donations by unsolicited email and will never ask for bank details via email.
• Report the message: in Australia you can use ReportCyber or Scamwatch.
• Preserve evidence: keep the original email and full headers (Gmail: "Show original"); screenshots and message text help investigators.
• Tell someone you trust: community awareness prevents harm.

A pastoral reflection

Our response to deception should be shaped by Christian virtues. We are called to compassion for the vulnerable and to justice for the exploited, but Scripture also urges discernment. As Jesus said, be "wise as serpents and innocent as doves" (Matthew 10:16). The Bible's calls for honest dealings and care for widows and the poor (see Proverbs 11:1, Acts 6:1-7) mean we welcome generosity while protecting the community from fraud.

Verified contact channels

To protect you and our community, please use only our verified official contact channels below - do not respond to unsolicited messages claiming to be from TheGoodNews.

• [email protected] (News tips)
• [email protected] (Editorial inquiries & guest articles)
• [email protected] (Book reviews & literary submissions)
• +61 7 5699 9644 (Mon-Fri, 10 AM-4 PM AEST)

A final word

Thank you to everyone who has supported our ministry as we grow. We will continue to improve our safeguards and remain vigilant. If you have been affected or have questions, please contact us through our official website contact form or the addresses above; do not reply to or engage with the suspicious email.