WASHINGTON — The American Bankers Association today launched its Safe Banking for Seniors program with the release of newly created curriculum and other materials. The program, first announced in September 2015, will mobilize bankers across the country to educate older Americans and their caregivers about elder financial abuse and how to prevent it.
“Our goal with this campaign is to provide bankers with turnkey educational materials, so they can arm their customers with the tools they need to fight fraud,” said Corey Carlisle, executive director of the ABA Foundation. “Since announcing this program, we’ve received tremendous response from our members who are eager to team up with local senior groups and other organizations to educate the greatest number of consumers possible.”
Registered bankers will receive event materials, lesson plans, media outreach tools and best practices focusing on the following four topics:
- Identifying and Avoiding Scams;
- Protecting Your Assets by Preventing Identity Theft;
- Choosing a Financial Caregiver; and
- Acting as a Responsible Financial Caregiver.
The ABA Foundation is joined by 30 state bankers associations that have pledged to promote these resources to bankers in their states. For a complete list of the current state bankers associations championing this effort, visit aba.com/seniors.
Banks can register to participate in the initiative at aba.com/seniors. All program resources are available free of charge in thanks to the ABA Foundation’s Safe Banking for Seniors sponsors, JPMorgan Chase and TD Bank.