Important Notice: Fake CAPTCHA Scam

SermonChief Notices

Website Notice: Fake CAPTCHA Scam (March 11, 2026)

For a short period yesterday (March 11, 2026), our website was affected by a fake CAPTCHA scam. If you visited the site during that time, you might have seen an “I’m not a robot” verification box. Please read this notice carefully—especially if you followed any instructions appearing after that CAPTCHA—and follow the link at the end for detailed info and guidance.

What happened

A fraudulent CAPTCHA was displayed to visitors and was designed to look legitimate but included additional steps that no real CAPTCHA would ever require. Note: Our site does not normally require CAPTCHA for visitors.

A genuine CAPTCHA will only ask you to:

  • Check a box, or
  • Complete a quick image or puzzle challenge.

A fake CAPTCHA, on the other hand, might instruct you to:

  • Download or run a file, or
  • Copy and paste a command into your Windows dialog box or Mac terminal.

These actions are never part of real verification steps. They are used by scammers to install malware or gain access to personal information.

What to do if you followed the instructions

  1. Disconnect your device from the internet (unplug Ethernet or turn off Wi‑Fi).
  2. Avoid logging in to sensitive accounts until your device has been checked or cleaned.
  3. Run a full antivirus/anti‑malware scan using an updated tool such as Windows Security or Malwarebytes.
  4. If anything suspicious is found, consider professional cleanup or a full system reinstall.
  5. From a separate, trusted device, change passwords for important accounts—email, banking, and social platforms in particular.
  6. Monitor your financial accounts for unusual activity. If you believe your financial data was exposed, consider placing a credit freeze or fraud alert.

For more details about fake CAPTCHA scams and how to avoid them in the future, visit:
👉 https://www.malwarebytes.com/cybersecurity/basics/fake-captcha-scams

 

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused anyone. Hopefully everyone noticed something wasn’t right and did not run any commands in their windows dialog or terminal.