In our faith-based communities, our churches, we want to believe in and trust others. That's why some churches fall victim to scams.

Opportunity scams most often target the bank accounts of unsuspecting organizations.

However, there are precautions congregations can take to help protect their assets from con artists looking for sensitive information.

Don’t know them? Don’t wire money or provide your bank information.

Scammers might send a generous check, asking you to deposit and wire back a portion.

When the bogus check bounces, they’re gone with your money. Don’t be fooled. Research the organization before you trust it.

Many appear to be legitimate but really are not. Before you sign on the dotted line, remember a contract is a commitment. Make sure you understand what it says.

Some scams are very well planned and are hard to detect.

The most important thing to do if you suspect your congregation has been victimized is to report it to the appropriate agency.

Eight percent of people victimized by fraud never complain to any sort of government agency.

Some reasons are that churches believe that the money will never be returned.

However, we encourage reporting the crime so that different patterns can be investigated, with the results leading to possible arrests.

If you suspect your organization has experienced a scam, report it to your local law enforcement agency or call the Attorney General's Fraud Hotline at 1-877-5 No Scam (1-877-566-7226) You also can file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/complaint or 877-FTC-HELP.