Sharing CFPB’s free age-friendly banking resources: Sample posts for use by credit union trade groups
Thank you for helping us spread the word to your trade association members about the CFPB’s resources for credit unions, including information about elder financial exploitation, Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs), age-friendly practices, and consumer education tools. We hope these sample posts will help you support your industry’s efforts to fight elder financial exploitation.
Instructions: Below you’ll find several pieces that you can insert into your trade association’s newsletters, blogs, email blasts, or social media to help get the word out about the resources offered by the CFPB. If you use the content below, you must indicate that it originated with the CFPB.
If you have any questions about how to use these materials, please contact CFPB’s Office for Older Americans at olderamericans@cfpb.gov.
Sample email/newsletter post
Did you know that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) Office for Older Americans offers resources that may help credit unions protect older members from fraud and scams?
CFPB has an advisory that shares voluntary recommendations for financial institutions to help them prevent financial exploitation of older account holders with alerts to a trusted contact person. There is an accompanying handout for consumers that explores how designating a trusted contact can help account holders protect their money without giving up control over their finances.
CFPB also has a data spotlight analyzing trends in elder financial exploitation Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) filed during the pandemic. Additionally, CFPB has a full-length report that contains an analysis of elder financial exploitation SARs , including monetary losses by account holders and filers, and possible next steps for credit unions. Another resource is a review of state and federal laws related to reporting of elder financial exploitation by financial institutions to help clarify the laws and support banks in their efforts to combat fraud.
The CFPB also offers free tools credit unions can use to educate older members. These include guides to help financial caregivers with managing someone else’s money, fraud prevention handouts, and the Money Smart for Older Adults curriculum which your staff can volunteer to share with older members and caregivers to help them make informed financial decisions and avoid scams.
To find these resources and more, visit consumerfinance.gov/olderamericans. Content provided by the CFPB.
Sample email/newsletter post
Title: Credit unions can use CFPB’s resources to help older members
Did you know that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) Office for Older Americans offers free resources that may be helpful for credit union staff, including reports, advisories, and consumer education tools? You can use these materials to educate your staff and members about elder financial exploitation.
Consumer education tools
- Credit unions can make available CFPB’s Managing Someone Else’s Money guides to help financial caregivers understand their role as agent under a power of attorney, a guardian or conservator, trustee, Social Security representative payee or Veterans Affairs fiduciary.
- Staff can volunteer to share the Money Smart for Older Adults program with older members and caregivers to help them make informed financial decisions and protect against scams. The program includes an Instructor Guide, PowerPoint slides, and a take-home Resource Guide.
- Staff can use CFPB’s fraud prevention handouts to help older members and their families avoid common scams.
- Credit unions can make available CFPB’s consumer advisory, which features tips on how older adults can work together with their credit union to prevent fraud.
Reports and advisories
- CFPB’s advisory shares recommendations for financial institutions to help them prevent financial exploitation of older account holders with alerts to a trusted contact person.
- CFPB also has an accompanying handout for consumers that explains how designating a trusted contact can help account holders protect their money without giving up control over their finances.
- CFPB’s report, Suspicious Activity Reports on Elder Financial Exploitation: Issues and Trends , contains an analysis of elder financial exploitation, including monetary losses by customers and filers and possible next steps for credit unions.
- To support credit unions in their efforts to combat fraud, Reporting of Suspected Elder Financial Exploitation by Financial Institutions provides information about reporting suspected elder financial exploitation based on federal and state law.
- CFPB’s Advisory and Recommendations and report for financial institutions outline several voluntary ideas to help credit unions with their efforts to prevent elder financial abuse and intervene effectively when it occurs.
Please share these resources with your colleagues, older members, financial caregivers, and anyone else who could benefit.
To find these resources and more, visit consumerfinance.gov/olderamericans. Content provided by the CFPB.
Sample social posts
X (formerly Twitter)
- Read CFPB’s advisory with voluntary recommendations to help credit unions prevent financial exploitation of older account holders with alerts to a trusted contact person: consumerfinance.gov/documents/10240/cfpb_trusted-contacts-fis_2021-11.pdf via @cfpb
- Download CFPB’s free handout that explains how designating a trusted contact person can help consumers protect their money without giving up control over their finances: consumerfinance.gov/documents/10239/cfpb_trusted-contacts-consumers_2021-11.pdf via @cfpb
- Learn more about Suspicious Activity Reports involving #ElderFinancialExploitation. Read CFPB analysis: consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_suspicious-activity-reports-elder-financial-exploitation_report.pdf via @cfpb
- Looking for ways to help older members avoid scams? CFPB has free resources credit unions can use now: consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/educator-tools/adult-financial-education/tools-and-resources/#older-adults via @cfpb
- Check out CFPB resources to help credit unions prevent #ElderFinancialExploitation: consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/educator-tools/resources-for-older-adults/protecting-against-fraud/#resources-for-financial-institutions via @cfpb
- How can credit unions respond to suspected #ElderFinancialExploitation? Find out: consumerfinance.gov/documents/7820/cfpb_suspected-elder-financial-exploitation-financial-institutions_report.pdf via @cfpb
- Want educational materials about fraud and scams you can share with older members? consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/educator-tools/resources-for-older-adults/money-smart-for-older-adults/ via @cfpb
Facebook or LinkedIn
- Does your credit union allow account holders to designate a trusted contact person who staff can alert in case of elder financial exploitation? Read CFPB’s advisory with recommendations to help credit unions prevent financial exploitation of older account holders with alerts to a trusted contact person: consumerfinance.gov/documents/10240/cfpb_trusted-contacts-fis_2021-11.pdf . You can also download CFPB’s handout for consumers that explains how designating a trusted contact person can help members protect their money without giving up control over their finances: consumerfinance.gov/documents/10239/cfpb_trusted-contacts-consumers_2021-11.pdf . To learn more, visit consumerfinance.gov/olderamericans. Post provided by CFPB.
- Want to learn more about state and federal laws governing how you can report suspected elder financial exploitation? The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) offers resources for credit unions. These include reports and advisories to help credit union staff understand relevant laws and prevent elder fraud. To learn more, visit consumerfinance.gov/olderamericans. Post provided by CFPB.
- Want to learn more about why you should file Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) involving elder financial exploitation? This Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) report analyzes elder financial exploitation SARs, including monetary losses by members and filers and possible next steps for credit unions. To learn more, visit consumerfinance.gov/sarsreport. Post provided by CFPB.
- Looking for new ways to support your older members? The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) offers resources for credit unions, including educational materials. Help financial caregivers with managing someone else’s money, share fraud prevention handouts, and schedule a scam prevention lesson using the Money Smart for Older Adults curriculum. To download free materials, visit consumerfinance.gov/olderamericans. Post provided by CFPB.