The archdiocese at the Notre Dame Cathedral emphasizes that there is only one official call for donation to the cathedral’s renovation fund made by Father Bui Van Doc.
Recently, a group of scammers has been impersonating Father Ho Van Xuan – the archdiocese representative – and sending out emails calling for donations to the cathedral’s renovation fund, Tuoi Tre reports.
According to the archdiocese, the group has been active since early 2018. On March 26th, the archdiocese sent out a letter of notice about the group's activity. According to the letter, a woman claiming that she represents Father Ho Van Xuan was seeking money from donors and other dioceses. The document also urges the church's followers to be cautious when faced with suspicious calls for donations from unofficial sources.
The Notre Dame Cathedral began its roof renovation in late 2016 following the approval from the municipal government. On July 4th, 2017, the cathedral officially closed its doors to tourists for a major revamp project and now only holds official church services. The renovation project is financed by the Ho Chi Minh City archdiocese with additional support from donors and members of the church, which makes it an easy target for fraudulent activities.
