What does the Bible say about fraud and identity theft?
Fraud is stealing, lying, and breaking the law all in one. Have you been committing fraud? You say, “No, of course not” but did you know lying on your tax return is a form of fraud? All fraud is sinful and no one who unrepentantly continues in it will enter into Heaven. How can someone thank God for treasures brought on by dishonest gain? It doesn’t matter if you think it’s fair or not.
Don’t say to yourself, “well Uncle Sam always rips me off.” God has nothing to do with evil. Scripture says, “woe to those who call evil good and good evil.” Scams and fraud are brought on by the love of money and the lack of trust in God. Rather than trying to gain quick money which can easily disappear fast, let’s gain little by little with hard work. We should never live like this sinful world, but we should live a life of integrity.
Common types of fraud in America
- Mortgage
- Money laundering
- Bank account
- Tax
- Ponzi schemes
- Pharmacy
- Phishing
- Identity Theft
Dishonest Gain
1. Micah 2:1-3 Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it. They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them. They defraud people of their homes, they rob them of their inheritance. Therefore, the Lord says: “I am planning disaster against this people, from which you cannot save yourselves. You will no longer walk proudly, for it will be a time of calamity.
2. Psalm 36:4 Even on their beds they plot evil; they commit themselves to a sinful course and do not reject what is wrong.
Proverbs 4:14-17 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way. For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble. They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
Proverbs 20:17 Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth is full of gravel.
Proverbs 10:2-3 Treasures gained dishonestly profit no one, but righteousness rescues from death. The LORD will not allow a righteous person to starve, but he intentionally ignores the desires of a wicked person.
5. Proverbs 16:8 Better to have little, with godliness, than to be rich and dishonest.
7. 2 Peter 2:15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, who loved the wages of wickedness.
8. Proverbs 22:16-17 One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and one who gives gifts to the rich–both come to poverty. Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach, for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips.
9. 1 Timothy 6:9-10 But people who long to be rich soon begin to do all kinds of wrong things to get money, things that hurt them and make them evil-minded and finally send them to hell itself. For the love of money is the first step toward all kinds of sin. Some people have even turned away from God because of their love for it, and as a result have pierced themselves with many sorrows.
Fraud is stealing
10. Exodus 20:15 “You shall not steal.”
11. Leviticus 19:11 “You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another.”
Fraud is lying
12. Proverbs 21:5-6 The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare. The violence of the wicked will drag them away, for they refuse to do what is right.
13. Proverbs 12:22 Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.
Fraud is a crime. It is breaking the law
14. Romans 13:1-4 Everyone must obey state authorities, because no authority exists without God’s permission, and the existing authorities have been put there by God. Whoever opposes the existing authority opposes what God has ordered; and anyone who does so will bring judgment on himself. For rulers are not to be feared by those who do good, but by those who do evil. Would you like to be unafraid of those in authority? Then do what is good, and they will praise you, because they are God’s servants working for your own good. But if you do evil, then be afraid of them, because their power to punish is real. They are God’s servants and carry out God’s punishment on those who do evil.
Fraudsters might get away with it but God is not mocked.
15. Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
16. Numbers 32:23 But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the LORD, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.
Judgment
17. Proverbs 11:4-6 Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight, but the wicked falls by his own wickedness. The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Surely you know that the wicked will not possess God’s Kingdom. Do not fool yourselves; people who are immoral or who worship idols or are adulterers or homosexual perverts or who steal or are greedy or are drunkards or who slander others or are thieves—none of these will possess God’s Kingdom.
Reminders
19. Proverbs 28:26 Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.
20. Psalm 37:16-17 It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich. For the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the LORD takes care of the godly.
21. Luke 8:17 For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.
22. Proverbs 29:27 An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.
Advice
23. Colossians 3:1-5 You have been raised to life with Christ, so set your hearts on the things that are in heaven, where Christ sits on his throne at the right side of God. Keep your minds fixed on things there, not on things here on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Your real life is Christ and when he appears, then you too will appear with him and share his glory! You must put to death, then, the earthly desires at work in you, such as sexual immorality, indecency, lust, evil passions, and greed (for greed is a form of idolatry.)
24. Ephesians 4:28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
25. Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.
