World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2023 June 15, 2023 | BankingFocus-Fraud Protection | BankingFocus-Educational Opportunities What is a Scam? By: A scammer is the ultimate salesperson with a tempting offer or a skilled liar with a plausible story Easily pinpoints a victim’s vulnerabilities and appeals to emotions: sympathy, fear, loneliness Quickly gains trust Insists on secrecy Shows no mercy, e.g., doesn’t take “no” for an answer Know the Red Flags of a Scam Immediate action required Insistence on secrecy Money needed up front Hard-to-track payment methods Build Your Scam Defenses Do not be rushed into any financial decision Assume that insistence on secrecy is a ploy to deceive you Be suspicious of any situation that requires you to send money up front Confirm all stories, offers or charities independently Be very cautious about clicking on email links Block Those Scammers Register with National Do Not Call Registry at www.donotcall.gov to limit legitimate telemarketing phone calls, making phone scams easier to detect Register with www.DMAchoice.org to limit legitimate advertising mail, making mail scams easier to detect Limit personal information on social media and choose the strictest privacy settings on social media accounts Use antivirus software on your computer What to Do if You Are Scammed Don’t be embarrassed or afraid Tell someone you trust Report the scam to Security Bank immediately to limit losses Contact your local police and federal agencies, like the Federal Trade Commission