Fraud can happen to anyone; however, scammers often target older adults because they may have built up savings, own homes, and are viewed as more likely to trust a convincing phone call, text message, or email.

The good news is that a few simple habits can help reduce risk and make it easier to spot potential scams before money or personal information is lost.

Staying informed can help protect all account holders, especially the ones at a higher risk of being defrauded, who may not be able to identify the signs. Family members can be one layer of protection against these bad actors. Here are some tips you can use to protect your accounts and those of your elder:

STOP before you act

Scammers often create a sense of urgency. They may claim a loved one is in trouble, a government agency needs immediate payment, or an account is at risk of being closed.

Before responding, STOP—check the Sender, Tone, Offers, and signs of Phishing: 

• Take a moment to slow down 
• Assess whether the email address is real and known to you 
• Verify the request using a trusted phone number or website 
• Never provide account information, passwords, one-time verification codes or personally identifying information to someone who contacts you unexpectedly

Remember, legitimate organizations will not pressure you to act immediately or pay using gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers.

Use available security tools

Civic and many financial institutions offer tools designed to help protect accounts and monitor activity.

Take these steps to secure your finances: 

• Activate account alerts for transactions and balance changes 
• Turn on multi-factor authentication for online accounts 
• Use Civic’s Card Control+ to turn off your debit card when not in use 
• Review your account activity in the app and online banking to identify unfamiliar transactions

Keep conversations open

Fraud thrives in secrecy. One of the best defenses is having a trusted person to talk to before making major financial decisions. A simple conversation can prevent a costly mistake.

Seniors can: 

• Discuss unexpected financial requests with a trusted family member, friend or advisor 
• Ask questions if something doesn’t seem right

Family members can: 

• Check in regularly about unusual calls, texts, or emails 
• Encourage reporting suspicious activity immediately

Whether you’re protecting yourself or helping a loved one, staying connected, asking questions, and taking advantage of available security tools can go a long way toward safeguarding your money and personal information. View Civic’s how-to guides to learn how to set up alerts, set up two-factor authentication, and to lock your debit card.

If you feel you’ve been the victim of fraud or notice unusual account activity, contact your financial institution as soon as possible. If you suspect your Civic account has been hit by fraud, contact the Experience Center at 844-772-4842.