Elder Fraud is on the Rise

October 6, 2025 By: Greenville Heritage FCU

Quite a few of our older members have been victimized by fraudsters in the past few months, so we wanted to remind members of the Fraud Prevention Resource on our website, which now includes a Fraud Risk Meter and Fraud Report & Recovery tools.

 Here are a few timely reminders and common scams:

The Basics:

 • If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is!

• You should not have to pay a fee of any sort to claim a legitimate prize.

• Never pay to play in a sweepstakes.

• Never pay money to claim a prize.

• Do NOT give out prepaid or gift card serial # off the back of the card to someone you do not know.

Beware of these common scams:

Asset Theft — Often more extensive and typically involves abuse associated with Powers of Attorney, real estate transactions, identity theft or tax manipulation. Vulnerable adults, who may be more trusting, gullible, or less financially sophisticated, are often targeted.

Grandparent Scam — Perpetrator poses as a grandchild of the older adult and requests that he or she load a MoneyPak or wire money to help “the grandchild” get out of a bad situation.

Home Repair — Victims are coerced, intimidated or otherwise conned into paying unreasonable amounts for poor quality work for services such as roofing, paving, auto body repair, etc.

Social Security — Someone contacts you saying your Social Security number has been compromised or that you owe money and must act right away to straighten things out.

GHFCU FRAUD PREVENTION CENTER

Stay informed and prepared with the GHFCU Fraud Prevention Education Center. Find tips and tools to protect your identity and money, ensuring your safety online and while traveling.

LEARN MORE