June Is Elder Abuse Awareness Month: Stand Up For Our Seniors
At New Hampshire Postal Credit Union, protecting the financial well-being of you and your loved ones is a top priority. June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness of the financial exploitation and other forms of abuse that disproportionately affect older adults. Elder abuse can take many forms. It could be physical, emotional, or financial, and it could be due to neglect or due to exploitation. Often, elder abuse goes unreported due to fear, shame, or isolation.
Did you know? Financial exploitation is the most common form of elder abuse, often going unnoticed until significant damage is done. Scams, fraud, and manipulation by trusted individuals can leave lifelong impacts.
How you can help:
Learn the warning signs of financial abuse
Sudden or unexplained account activity, unpaid bills despite adequate funds, or the presence of unfamiliar individuals at financial appointments may be red flags. Read more from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
Check in regularly with older family members
Social isolation is a risk factor for abuse. Frequent, caring conversations can help catch issues early—and offer essential emotional support.
Report suspicious financial activity
If you notice something unusual or out of the ordinary about a loved one’s account or behavior, don’t hesitate to contact us or your local Adult Protective Services.
Together, we can help protect the financial independence and dignity of older adults in our community. To learn more about how to recognize, help prevent, and respond to elder mistreatment, visit the National Center on Elder Abuse.
Need help or have concerns? Our staff is trained to recognize signs of financial abuse. Call us at 603-625-9032 or visit us. If you suspect an older adult in your life has fallen victim to a scam or identity theft, contact us. As an account holder with an NH Postal Credit Union account, you have access to identity theft recovery services for up to three generations of your family, including your parents.
Text Scams Cost Americans $470 Million In 2024
WASHINGTON—In 2024, consumers reported losing $470 million to scams that started with text messages, new data from the Federal Trade Commission show.
This amount is five times higher than what was reported in 2020, even though the number of reports declined, the FTC said.
The most commonly reported type of text scam was fake package delivery, where scammers send alerts about a supposed issue with an incoming delivery. Bogus job opportunities were also common, including “task scams,” which involve promises of online work requiring people to complete a series of online tasks and end up with requests for people to invest their own money.
Other text message scams reported frequently were fake “fraud alert” messages sent to consumers warning about a suspicious purchase or an issue with their bank; warnings about fake unpaid tolls with a link to pay them; and “wrong number” scams that start as a seemingly misdirected message. Wrong number scams often evolve into a conversation with romantic undertones that can lead to investment and other scams, the FTC said.
Have you set up your internal code word to be used when you call the Credit Union?
We are advising all members to do so. A code word is something you and only you will know. When you call the NH Postal Credit Union for account information, we will ask you this code word for verification. Call and speak to a Member services representative today!
What are some classic warning signs of possible fraud and scams? *
There are several signs that indicate you might be dealing with a scammer, and several steps you can take to protect yourself and others.
Criminals and con artists use many scams to target unsuspecting people—of all ages—who have access to money. Consumer scams happen on the phone, through the mail, e-mail, or over the internet. They can occur in person, at home, or at a business.
Warning signs include contact from someone:
Claiming to be from the government, a bank, a business, or a family member, and asking you to pay money.
Asking you to pay money or taxes upfront to receive a prize or a gift.
Asking you to wire them money, send cryptocurrency, send money by courier, send money over a payment app, or put money on a prepaid card or gift card and send it to them or give them the numbers on the card.
Asking for access to your money-such as your ATM cards, bank accounts, credit cards, cryptocurrency wallet keys or access codes, or investment accounts.
Pressuring you to "act now" or else the deal will go away, or trying hard to give you a "great deal" without time to answer your questions.
Creating a sense of urgency or emergency to play on your emotions.
Here are some tips to protect yourself from scams:
Don’t share numbers or passwords for accounts, credit cards, or Social Security.
Never pay up front for a promised prize. It’s a scam if you are told that you must pay fees or taxes to receive a prize or other financial windfall.
After hearing a sales pitch, take time to compare prices. Ask for information in writing and read it carefully.
Too good to be true? Ask yourself why someone is trying so hard to give you a “great deal.” If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Watch out for deals that are only “good today” and that pressure you to act quickly. Walk away from high-pressure sales tactics that don’t allow you time to read a contract or get legal advice before signing. Also, don’t fall for the sales pitch that says you need to pay immediately, for example by wiring the money, sending it by courier or over a payment app, or by sending cryptocurrency.
Beware when someone plays on your emotions or claims there’s an urgent situation. Advances in artificial intelligence make it easier for scammers to clone voices and alter images to make it seem like someone you know needs help. Contact the person yourself to verify the story. Use contact information you know is theirs. If you can’t reach them, try to get in touch with them through another trusted person, like a family member or their friends.
Don’t click on links or scan QR codes. These can take you to scammers’ malicious websites or give them access to your device.
Put your number on the National Do Not Call Registry. Go to www.donotcall.gov or call (888) 382-1222.
* Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Report Fraud:
In October 2020 the FTC launched ReportFraud.ftc.gov a site for people to report fraud and other illegal business practices. Reports from consumers are stored in the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database available only to law enforcement.
IRS Identity Theft Awareness
The IRS Identity Theft Awareness
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has launched its “Identity Theft Central” webpage to provide 24/7 access to online information regarding tax-related identity theft and data security protection. Tax-related identity theft occurs when someone steals personal information to commit tax fraud.
StayConnectedNH ! Sponsored by NH Credit Unions/ Better Values - Better Banking
Isolated and vulnerable, more than 3 million older Americans are victims of financial abuse every single year.
Today, a new tool is added to the arsenal to protect New Hampshire’s vulnerable populations by raising awareness of financial exploitation in the Granite State: StayConnectedNH.org.