Computer Scam Hits Black Churches

By News One November 22, 2009 7:20 am

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From ABCLocal.Go.com:

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Dozens of African-American churches in California have allegedly fallen victim to a scam involving computer kiosks. The scheme cost the churches hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Up to 30 churches in California may have fallen victim to the computer kiosk scam. The churches thought they were providing a free service to parishioners, but instead got stuck for thousands of dollars in lease fees.

The investigation targets four individuals and three national leasing companies. They are believed to be part of a nationwide scam involving churches in at least 10 states.

The computer kiosk at Bryant Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church was moved back to the church lobby. It was hoped it would generate money and convenience. Instead it became part of a costly and possibly criminal scam.

“People have to deal honorably and this operation looks loose at the very least and intentionally deceptive at the worst,” said California Attorney General Jerry Brown.

Bryant Temple is one many African-American churches trying to help their congregations without spending money, adding to their collections without passing the plate.

Hundreds of similar churches were targeted nationally by United Leasing Associates and Television Broadcasting Online. Some churches had several computer kiosks.

The churches signed leases and would be reimbursed. The kiosks would show advertising and print coupons for local merchants. The sales offices were in Beverly Hills and Washington, D.C.

“Mine never worked. I didn’t even have the loop, didn’t have any advertisements, I didn’t have anything,” said Reverend Gayle Davis-Culp, Holy Trinity AME.

Davis-Culp, like other ministers, got stuck with the lease costs of as high as $45,000 when the companies skipped town.

The kiosks are just wooden cabinets with a cheap desktop computer inside and programs that often didn’t work.

Click here to read more.

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  • 11-22-2009 9:06 pm

    Wow!! Churches being scammed??!! Talk about Role-reversal!! The Church is usually the ones DOING the Scamming!! Ha! ;-)

  • 11-22-2009 7:56 pm

    They were being greedy and got ripped off you would have thought they would have done more research but apparently all they could see was the $$$$$$$$$$$$ that would be flowing in.

    Maybe if they focused on helping those within the communities instead of the “money angel” they would see an increase in their tithes and the tithes sure as hell should not be going to the lousy azz pastors (or however you spell moochers)

    Those tithes should be going to help the communities in a time of need to build programs to help those in need of getting the proper skills to get a job, education, planned parent hood, to build healthier relationships within the family structures,etc.

    I’d tithe for that but not for no dam pastor to be all blinged out, take a paid expensive vacation which most of its own congreation can’t even afford, nor to buy an expensive car or helicopter wtf

  • 11-22-2009 1:27 pm

    LMAO @ the black church is always a target….who gives a f**k!
    WHEN WILL THE BLACK CHURCH OPEN UP BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES AND STOP BUYING AND OPENING SCHOOLS 2 ROB THE BLACK FAMILY 2 PAY FOR A FREE EDUCATION???

    SO FUKIN WHAT!! the Black Churchgoers are always the target(Christians edited the Bible since they stole our Religious ways 2 honor our Creator so they made our truths in2 their fables and KILLED PLUNDERED RAPED INPLANTED FEAR in2 anyone that didn’t BELIEVE in Christianity during the Dark Ages….the key is the truth about “paying your tithes” now first off does TITHES look like a EUROPEAN ass word or what….they added this manifestation in2 the Bible during the Insurrection of Catholocism in the 1300’s and the Black Preacher NEVER COLLECTED TITHES DURING SLAVERY)
    weak ass nlggas so what f**k a black church and the BS rhetoric
    Look at the picture what do you see??? Black Sisters not one Brother because he not gonna follow A man or sit in a BLACK CHURCH THAT STILL HAS A PICTURE OF A BLUE EYED BLOND HAIRED DEVIL as it’s Savior…dayum when will people I was gonna say wake up but shlt THEY CAN START BY READING THE DAYUM BIBLE!!!! that will get them A long way….and the Bible is only a Book 2 enforce and predicate your mentality in2 suppressing your GODLIKE STATUS

    …FEAR is not a character you should have when dealin with this…if you are a CHRISTIAN you are in fear because you have been engineered 2 FEAR SATAN and the CREATOR…I have the slightest Idea why but this has been inbedded in your christian ways to LOVE THY ENEMY??? so you must love SATAN??? WOW..I hope you get the gist of the mental fuk that has plaqued us as A people since the GREAT ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE…U were given the KING JAMES VERSION of the Bible 2 conform you in2 thinkin and I quote from one of the bloggers…WeSt-CoAsT-909
    “MASONS BELIVE THAT YOU DONT NEED TO HAVE JESUS AS YOUR PERSONAL LORD AND SAVIOUR TO GET INTO HEAVEN”….Masons believe in God=Lucifer
    now overstand that Jesus is not your personal Lord and Savior and write me back from HEA-VEN when you get there if U ever do…Jesus is the Son of Man..here are SOME biblical references 2 take heed 2
    St. Mark 10:8 10:45 13:32-37 14:20,21 14:61,62 St. Luke 4:8,12,18 5:24 or better yet just read the Dayum Book!!!!

  • 11-22-2009 1:00 pm

    computer kiosk?! did this happen 8 or 9 yrs ago? the blk church is always a target

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