MVCAC leadership recently received phishing emails impersonating President Paula Macedo. These messages originated from a fake Gmail address (president441616@gmail.com) and requested urgent payments to vendors via PayPal or Zelle (e.g., $1,769 reimbursement promised).
Key Red Flags:
- Sender uses a non-MVCAC email address (always verify against known @mvcac.org addresses).
- Requests for personal payments, gift cards, Venmo/Zelle, etc.—MVCAC never handles finances this way.
- Scammers exploit public website info (names/titles) to craft convincing emails; no system breach occurred.
What to Do If You Receive Similar Emails:
- Do not respond, click links, or send money—delete immediately.
- Verify directly: Contact the supposed sender via their known MVCAC email or phone.
- Report to the FBI (ic3.gov) and FTC (reportfraud.ftc.gov).
- Forward suspicious emails to MVCAC staff for awareness.
Please share this advisory with your staff and remain vigilant. Phishing attempts targeting associations like ours are increasingly common. Thank you for your ongoing vigilance in protecting our community.
Questions? Contact Megan MacNee, Executive Director.