Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 6 March 2026

These updates are shared to help raise the situational awareness of Faith-Based organizations to best defend against and mitigate the impacts from all-hazards threats including physical security, cybersecurity, and natural disasters.

Threats to Americans, Jews skyrocketing since beginning of war with Iran, Secure Community Network says

Reports from ABC7 Chicago and The Jerusalem Post indicate a significant rise in threats and antisemitic incidents targeting Jewish communities in the United States and across the Jewish diaspora following the U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran. According to the Secure Community Network (SCN), analysts monitoring online and offline activity have documented more than a 100% increase in violent threats within a six-day period after the conflict intensified. SCN CEO Michael Masters noted that while the organization regularly tracks thousands of hostile online posts targeting Jews each week, the current environment has escalated dramatically, with some threats including explicit calls for violence against Jewish individuals and American citizens.

Security officials warn that geopolitical tensions can inspire retaliatory actions within the United States, potentially carried out by individuals motivated by extremist narratives or foreign influence. Experts emphasize that the threat landscape is complex and often intensifies during international crises involving Israel, prompting some communities to seek 24/7 private security while federal agencies such as DHS and the FBI remain engaged and briefed on the heightened threat environment.

Analyst Comments: A key takeaway is that the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict increases the potential for spillover effects in the domestic threat environment. Geopolitical crises involving Israel and Iran often generate heightened emotions, online rhetoric, and extremist narratives that can translate into increased threats or harassment directed at Jewish diaspora communities in the United States. Historically, such moments tend to produce short-term spikes in hostile activity, ranging from online threats and intimidation to vandalism or targeted violence against religious or cultural institutions. While many threats remain rhetorical, the rapid increase in hostile messaging and calls for violence underscores how quickly overseas developments can influence the domestic security landscape, reinforcing the importance of situational awareness, community security coordination, and engagement with law enforcement during periods of heightened international tension.

Fraudsters Are Using the Israel/US-Iran Crisis in Scams

A Bitdefender report explains that cybercriminals are currently exploiting the Israel/US–Iran crisis as a theme for online scams, primarily through fraudulent emails that promise large sums of money, donations, or investment opportunities connected to the conflict. Researchers from Bitdefender’s Antispam Lab identified at least seven different scam variations, many of which follow classic advance-fee fraud tactics like classic “Nigerian prince” schemes but updated with references to the current war to appear timely and credible. Examples include emails claiming to be from military officers needing help moving money out of a war zone, lawyers representing wealthy victims of the conflict, investors trying to relocate funds due to instability, or individuals offering millions of dollars in donations to help war victims.

Despite the different narratives, the scams all attempt to persuade victims to share personal information or send money in advance. Researchers note that the campaigns currently appear somewhat inconsistent and experimental, suggesting cybercriminals are still testing different emotional hooks and that more sophisticated versions likely to emerge as the conflict continues.

Analyst Comments: This reporting highlights a common cybercrime pattern: topical scams tend to spike during major global events as threat actors quickly adapt narratives to exploit public attention and curiosity. Conflicts, natural disasters, and major political developments are frequently used as lures in phishing emails and fraud campaigns designed to prompt recipients to click malicious links, share sensitive information, or send money. Even when the underlying scam tactics are not new, referencing a current crisis can make messages appear more urgent or credible. As a result, organizations should consider using this time to remind employees and members to be cautious of unsolicited emails referencing breaking news events, verify donation or financial requests through trusted channels, and avoid clicking unfamiliar links tied to rapidly developing geopolitical situations.

TLP: AMBER Session 3: Building an Intelligence Team for Your House of Worship Skills and Roles of the Intelligence Analyst

The recording of Wednesday’s session on Building an Intelligence Team for Your House of Worship Skills and Roles of the Intelligence Analyst is posted in the #fb-isao_recordings for members to review!

As a reminder the next session will be held April 1^st  at 12:00 PM E.T. on the sources and methods of local intelligence collection and analysis, whether you have a team or an army of one, and the organizational structure and workflow.