Internet con targets city church

Mr Williams confronted the conman by telephone

Worshippers at a small Bristol church have found themselves at the centre of an international internet scam.

The Church of Christ in Bedminster has been inundated with e-mails and letters from people believing it is offering interest-free loans of up to $100,000.

A Nigerian-based fraudster is sending out e-mails claiming to be a reverend offering the loans "to the needy".

It is thought the conman came across the church's website and decided to use it as the cover story for his fraud.

One victim, in Philadelphia, sent details of her mortgage to the conman as proof she had collateral for the loan.

'Looked legitimate'

She only realised the loan was a con when he demanded $1,000 as a security fee.

The business studies lecturer, from Philadelphia, told BBC News: "The offer was very detailed, very formal and it looked very legitimate. I was really surprised it was not.

"I was concerned because I had allowed them to know information about my home, my personal information."

BBC West's Inside Out programme enlisted the help of the church's real minister, Trevor Williams, to confront the conman.

In a phone call, Mr Williams told him he was a "scoundrel and a liar" and pleaded with him to end the con.

But the conman persisted in claiming he was the real reverend, and questioned whether Mr Williams was in fact trying to defraud him.

He has used different pseudonyms including the Revd Fabio Lopez, the Bishop Joseph Arsenault and the Reverend Paul Mark.

The conman's details have now been passed on to Bristol City Council's Trading standards team who have asked his mobile phone service provider to disconnect his number.

The full story features on Inside Out on BBC One in the West region at 1930 BST on Friday.