How to protect your business from BEC scams: Stop, Check, Reject

🛡️ PSA: Protect Our Seniors from Online Fraud Today’s reminder is for one of our most vulnerable groups to fraud—our seniors. Before she passed, I used to share fraud prevention tips with my grandma, and she’d pass them along to her friends. It was our little "ripple effect" of protection. 🔍 Remind those close to you: - Trust your instincts—if something feels off, it probably is. - Be wary of sudden changes in tone or urgency in messages. - Question unexpected requests for money or sensitive information. - Verify the sender before clicking links or downloading attachments. - Don’t rush—fraudsters thrive on urgency and confusion. Stay curious, ask questions, and never hesitate to reach out for help. You’re not alone.

Victim shaming 101: Do not blame the victim! “It’s not helpful. It’s not true. It can happen to anyone, including me and you!” The world leaves many behind before they realize and/or have an opportunity to do something about it… We don’t need to reinvent the wheel when trusted resources like the AARP already does a solid job of empowering our community. Here are 3 resources to start with and share: 1) Let’s change how we talk about fraud victims: https://lnkd.in/eU7YtZj4 Changing our words can change outcomes. 2) Words Matter: Improving Outcomes for Scam Victims: https://lnkd.in/eC9_xx72 EXAMPLES OF WHAT TO SAY: INSTEAD OF THIS: How could you fall for that? Didn’t you see the flags? SAY THIS: This isn’t your fault – you experienced a crime. INSTEAD OF THIS: You should have known it was too good to be true. SAY THIS: Criminals use lies to convince us they are legitimate and that their claims are true. INSTEAD OF THIS: Fraud only happens to older people. SAY THIS: Fraud affects people of all ages. INSTEAD OF THIS: Get over it. There’s nothing you can do. SAY THIS: You are a crime victim; let’s report it to law enforcement and contact the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline for next steps at 877-908-3360. 3) About AARP Fraud Watch Network: https://lnkd.in/e6hghc_B AARP Fraud Watch Network is a free resource for all. You are not alone, our community is not alone, and we are all in this together. This is free knowledge that every person has access to. We can help or guide you in the right direction of trusted resources like the AARP. #cybersecurity #TAKEITLIGHT #cybersecurityawarenessmonth #real #genuine #impact #empathy #words #victimshaming #fraudvictim #cybercrime #financialcrime #support #share #free #resources

Every 39 seconds, someone falls victim to a cyberattack. Every day, the FBI receives thousands of fraud complaints. Every week, large organizations face near-certain BEC attacks. Every month, millions of dollars vanish into scammers' accounts, never to be recovered. But you don't have to become a statistic. The fraud schemes costing billions of dollars share common characteristics. They exploit predictable human behaviors. They rely on victims not knowing what to look for. They succeed because people don't verify before they trust. This guide gives you the knowledge to recognize these schemes, the tools to prevent them, and the procedures to stop them before financial damage occurs. The $16.6 billion question isn't whether you'll be targeted—it's whether you'll be prepared when you are. Let's get started. https://lnkd.in/e8N6FK_r https://lnkd.in/eaiSNqRP https://lnkd.in/eb2uE_4J https://lnkd.in/eJ8Grdxt

Can You Spot a Scam Call Before It's Too Late? Do you know how to spot a scammer? This video helps with identifying scams, and provides advice on how to avoid scams. Learn fraud prevention techniques to protect yourself from falling victim to online scams or a phone scam. Be cautious when receiving unsolicited scam calls. 👉 Drop a comment: Which scam surprised you the most? Have you or someone you know almost fallen for one of these? 📌 Helpful resources: • FTC Scam Alerts: https://lnkd.in/gQPa5vUc • FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): https://www.ic3.gov/ • AARP Fraud Watch Network: https://lnkd.in/gAHJScnP Resources: Work with Dr. Brad: www.YMWAdvisors.com Money Scripts® Self-Test: www.MoneyScripts.com 📚 Grab my bestselling book Start Thinking Rich here: https://amzn.to/45WBaYT #Scams #MoneyMindset #FinancialFreedom

📢 Anti-scam and fraud task force unveils first of its kind national #strategy Last week, the Aspen Institute unveiled the first coordinated national strategy to prevent #scams and combat #fraud with input from the private and public sectors. Despite an estimated 1 in 5 U.S. adults having lost money to online scams (leading to $158B in losses each year), the strategy is the first effort for a national plan with the goal to "deter criminals, disrupt scams in real time, and restore consumer trust in America’s financial, digital, and communications systems." Key recommendations from the task force include: 1️⃣ Congress and the White House should declare scam prevention a national priority. 2️⃣ Companies should work to strengthen system defenses and bolster #informationsharing across sectors. 3️⃣ Law enforcement should expand capabilities to recover assets, expand anti-scam intelligence capabilities, and coordinate across jurisdictions. 🔗National Strategy: https://lnkd.in/eCUqwgMC 🔗 Press release: https://lnkd.in/ePmhUmdZ

Today, our National Task Force on Fraud and Scam Prevention released United We Stand: A National Strategy to Prevent Scams—the first-ever coordinated set of recommendations for how the public and private sectors can work together to fight fraud and scams. Scams aren't just a nuisance. They cost American households $158 billion every year. About 50 million Americans, or 1 in 5 U.S. adults, have lost money to an online scam. Over 80 organizations and 300+ experts contributed to this effort, culminating in a roadmap to make scams less profitable for criminals and protect American households. Over 40 Task Force members have also signed onto a letter to Congress urging bold action to elevate scams as a national priority. Specifically, the national strategy outlines recommendations for the following: ⬩ Congress and the White House should declare scam prevention a national priority. ⬩ Companies should work to strengthen system defenses and bolster information sharing across sectors. ⬩ Law enforcement should expand capabilities to recover assets, expand anti-scam intelligence capabilities, and coordinate across jurisdictions. We’re proud of this extraordinary collaboration and grateful for the leadership shown across industries and government. This report is an important first step. Now, the work begins to turn these recommendations into action. Read more in today’s Axios exclusive by Sam Sabin: https://lnkd.in/e6UAH2zH Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/eid526Qd Tune in for tomorrow's event marking the launch of this report: https://lnkd.in/g_NtpUQc

We applaud The Aspen Institute Financial Security Program and Kate Griffin for bringing together public, private, and non-profit stakeholders to develop a modern, whole-of-government strategy to combat fraud and scams. As bad actors get more sophisticated, we need to marshal all the tools at our disposal to modernize and future-proof our systems. The fintech industry is stepping up with cutting-edge technology to combat fraud and keep Americans safe. We look forward to more engagement and work on this critical issue. Learn more about the path forward in Aspen's report ⬇️

The release today of this report from Aspen’s Institute for Financial Security Program’s National Task Force on Fraud and Scam Prevention represents the joint effort of leaders from industry, government, law enforcement, and advocacy organizations, to develop a national strategy to fight scams and fraud. The report, United We Stand: A National Strategy to Prevent Scams, presents a set of recommendations to fight the escalating and costly consumer problem of scams and fraud. It was an honor to have a small role in the development of these recommendations. 

As a member of the The Aspen Institute Financial Security Program National Task Force on Fraud and Scam Prevention, we're committed to working alongside others to improve collaboration, modernize information sharing and reporting, and enhance law enforcement capabilities. Today's launch of a proposed national strategy is a critical step toward a shared response to a shared threat. 

Thrilled The Aspen Institute Financial Security Program is bringing together public and private stakeholders to develop a modern, whole-of-government strategy to combat fraud and scams.   It is shocking to hear 1 in 5 U.S. adults have lost money to an online scam, costing households an estimated $150 billion each year. Just goes to show bad actors are becoming more sophisticated and as an industry we must step up with cutting-edge technology to combat fraud and keep consumers safe. Looking forward to more engagement and work on this critical issue. Learn more about the path forward in Aspen's report ⬇️