SALT LAKE CITY — If there is one thing that unites consumers, it’s that scammers want your money, no matter who you are.
The key is to not make it easy for them to get your hard-earned capital, which is why community workshops have become a way for banks to help you stay in control.
Workshop attendee Julian Matamoros frequents the Chase Bank in Glendale and recently had a close call with a scam just a couple of weeks ago.
“My account got hacked," Matamoros explained. "They released on my Instagram story and Facebook story, 'Go invest in this crypto, you’ll get $1000 return.' Having to hear that all over again, it was kind of like, yeah, I should’ve done this instead. All my passwords were kind of the same, and they were talking about having different passwords.
"I had to learn that the hard way.”
That’s what the experts at Chase Bank want you to take away from their seminars on fraud and scams, because learning the hard way can result in losing hard cash.
“We want to help people have the tools, resources, the arsenal of skill sets to be able to prevent any type of fraud or scams,” explained Mallory Santa Cruz, community manager with Chase.
What can you do to keep your family safe from online predators?
Santa Cruz and the bank hear from customers who have either fallen victim to scams or come across them.
“AI and technology scams are becoming more prevalent is what we’re hearing from participants and attendees in the workshops, when it comes to AI being able to create data and pretend to be trusted loved ones that are experiencing distress," said Santa Cruz. "Then obviously scams for individuals that are over the age of 60.”
Community managers walk attendees through different types of scams, how to navigate them in real-time, and prevention. Santa Cruz shared what is always spelled out in any edition of Consumer Rules with Robyn: If something looks strange or out of the ordinary, stop and verify.
“Make sure you are regularly reviewing your banking statements, that you’re looking for anything that seems suspicious or off, that you have those alerts and notifications tied to your bank account or checking account so that you’re able to check it and gain awareness to it early in the process," said Santa Cruz.
Is using AI for financial advice a smart choice or risky bet?
Early may be better, but it’s never too late to learn.
“It kind of gave me a good idea of how to better protect myself and protect my accounts," shared Matamoros, "but also be able to help others prevent themselves from being attacked by someone else."
