ARLINGTON, VA – The BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust (BBB Institute), the educational foundation of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus, is pleased to welcome Zelle® as a new member of its Corporate Trust Council.

“Bringing trust to financial moments that matter is the bedrock of how we do business,” said Crystal Thomas, Vice President of Zelle® brand and marketing. “Our partnership with the BBB Institute will help us continue to do this through best practice sharing and education.”

By partnering with the BBB Institute, Zelle® is continuing its focus on educating consumers on fraud and scams. Zelle® and the BBB Institute will collaborate to spread awareness and educate consumers and small businesses on these financial threats.

The Corporate Trust Council is a coalition of select companies that partner with BBB Institute to foster a trustworthy marketplace by providing expertise, resources, and funding support. Current members include Amazon and Capital One. Corporate Trust Council partners work together on strategic initiatives aimed at protecting today’s consumers, such as:

• Building a community of better businesses by developing best practices and educational resources.
• Identifying new threats to a trustworthy marketplace and creating strategies to address them.
• Delivering programs, resources, and tools to protect consumers and build trust between consumers and businesses in the marketplace.

Council members are companies that share the BBB Institute’s passion for strengthening better businesses and helping people avoid scams through education.

About BBB and BBB Institute:

For more than 100 years, the Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands, and charities they can trust. In 2020, people turned to BBB more than 220 million times for BBB Business Profiles on 6.2 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities, all available for free at BBB.org.

The BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust (BBB Institute) is the BBB’s educational foundation, whose mission is to educate and protect consumers, promote best practices for businesses, and solve complex marketplace problems. BBB Institute’s consumer educational programs, which include a wide array of resources on fraud prevention and education, are delivered both digitally and in-person by Better Business Bureaus serving communities across the U.S. and Canada. You can find more information about BBB Institute and its programs at BBBMarketplaceTrust.org.

About Zelle®

Zelle® is transforming how money moves, with more than five billion digital payments sent since its launch in 2017. The Zelle Network® connects more than 1,800 financial institutions of all sizes, enabling consumers and businesses to send digital payments to people and businesses they know and trust with an eligible bank account in the U.S. Money is available directly in bank accounts generally within minutes when the recipient is already enrolled with Zelle®. To learn more about Zelle® and participating financial institutions in the Zelle Network®, visit www.zelle.com. Zelle® is brought to you by Early Warning Services, LLC, an innovator in payment and risk management solutions.

About Early Warning Services, LLC

Early Warning Services, LLC is a fintech company owned by seven of the country's largest banks. For almost three decades, our identity, authentication, and payment solutions have been empowering financial institutions to make confident decisions, enable payments and mitigate fraud. Today, Early Warning is best known as the owner and operator of the Zelle Network®, a financial services network focused on transforming payment experiences. The combination of Early Warning's risk and payment solutions enables the financial services industry to move money fast, safe, and easy, so that people can live their best financial lives. To learn more about Early Warning, visit www.earlywarning.com. Zelle and the Zelle marks used herein are trademarks of Early Warning Services, LLC. Other product and company names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

SCOTTSDALE, AZ – On World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, Early Warning Services, LLC, the network operator of Zelle®, today announced a new partnership with the National Council on Aging (NCOA). The partnership starts with a national campaign featuring financial wellness expert, Amanda Clayman, that delivers guidance on how to avoid falling victim to scams.

“Zelle® and NCOA are helping to bridge the gap between mental health and financial wellbeing,” said Amanda Clayman, financial therapist and Zelle® partner. “Educating older adults on social engineering tactics that scammers often use is essential to stopping scammers in their tracks.” According to a brief from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, it is estimated that 20% of people aged 55 years or older experience some mental health concern¹, and the latest Zelle® study shows a large majority of all Americans believe finances impact their mental health (72%)².

“Our goal is to empower older adults with knowledge, so they can avoid scams and stay financially secure,” said Genevieve Waterman, Director of Economic and Financial Security at NCOA. “That’s why our educational partnership with Zelle® is more important than ever.”

Spreading Elder Abuse Awareness

Zelle® and NCOA have created an informational video featuring Clayman that explains social engineering tactics scammers use to target older adults. Clayman offers practical tips and red flags for older adults to watch for, so they can protect themselves.

Additionally, on June 21, Clayman will speak at NCOA’s Age+Action 2023 Conference to deliver real-time guidance to professionals who serve older adults in the community.

In addition to this awareness campaign, NCOA and Zelle® will pilot new educational materials with older adults through NCOA’s national network of senior centers.

About Zelle®

Zelle® is transforming how money moves, with more than five billion digital payments sent since its launch in 2017. The Zelle Network® connects nearly 2,000 financial institutions of all sizes, enabling consumers and businesses to send digital payments to people and businesses they know and trust with an eligible bank account in the U.S. Money is available directly in bank accounts generally within minutes when the recipient is already enrolled with Zelle®. To learn more about Zelle® and participating financial institutions in the Zelle Network® visit www.zelle.com. Zelle® is brought to you by Early Warning Services, LLC, an innovator in payment and risk management solutions.

About NCOA

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is the national voice for every person’s right to age well. We believe that how we age should not be determined by gender, color, sexuality, income, or zip code. Working with thousands of national and local partners, we provide resources, tools, best practices, and advocacy to ensure every person can age with health and financial security. Founded in 1950, we are the oldest national organization focused on older adults. Learn more at www.ncoa.org and @NCOAging.

Zelle® and the Zelle® related marks are wholly owned by Early Warning Services, LLC and are used herein under license.
 

¹ Centers for Disease Control, “The State of Mental Health and Aging in America,” 2020.

² Zelle®, “Money & Mental Health” Study, 2023.

SCOTTSDALE, AZ – Early Warning Services, LLC, the network operator of Zelle®, today announces its Q2 2023 results—total Zelle transaction volume was 705 million with a value of $197 billion, 10% and 9% quarter-on-quarter growth, respectively.

More than 50% of MDI Banks in the U.S. Now Offer Zelle®

"At a time when technology is integral to bolstering customer growth, the National Bankers Association prioritizes partnerships with tech providers that strengthen banking services to small businesses and consumers," said Nicole Elam, President and CEO of National Bankers Association, which supports America's minority-owned and -operated banks. "We support the minority banks utilizing the payment platform Zelle® because of their unique role in providing financial services to communities."

Now over 2,100 bank and credit union brands offer Zelle® to their customers—consumers and small businesses—representing more than 80% of U.S. deposit accounts. MDI banks on the Zelle Network® increased by 26% year-over-year.

Enhanced Standards and New Education Go Above and Beyond for Consumers

All banks and credit unions on the Zelle Network® must implement Risk Insights for Zelle®. This free service gives institutions recipient risk attributes to assess potentially high-risk transactions and ultimately reduce fraud and scams. In addition, the network has a new consumer reimbursement benefit for specific scam types.

In 2023, Early Warning partnered with the Better Business Bureau Institute and their Corporate Trust Council, a coalition of companies dedicated to helping people avoid scams through education. The company also partners with the National Council on Aging (NCOA), working with the organization to develop and publish educational content on avoiding payment scams aimed at older Americans.

About Early Warning Services, LLC

Early Warning Services, LLC, a financial services technology leader, has been empowering and protecting consumers, small businesses, and the U.S. financial system with cutting-edge fraud and payment solutions for more than three decades. We are also the company behind Zelle®, and the soon-to-launch Paze^SM, a wallet that reimagines e-commerce payments. Early Warning partners with more than 2,500 bank and credit union brands to increase access to financial services and products, and protect financial transactions. Learn more at www.earlywarning.com and connect on LinkedIn.

ARLINGTON, VA – The BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust (BBB Institute), the Better Business Bureau’s® educational foundation, is partnering with Zelle® to deliver a campaign focused on empowering people to spot the signs of payment scams. The campaign (BBB.org/Red-Flags) is live now and will run through the fall.

“We know from research that knowledge about scams and scammer tactics can be protective,” said BBB Institute Executive Director Melissa Lanning Trumpower. “Teaching people how to spot the signs of scams can help them avoid losing money and personal information. Our partnership with Zelle® will help us reach more consumers with important information about how to spot the signs of scams so they can protect themselves and their families.”

The campaign highlights some of the tactics commonly used by scammers and recommends that people “Slow down. Stay aware. Watch out for red flags.”

"Empowering consumers with the knowledge to use payment platforms safely is a top priority for us,” said Ben Chance, Chief Fraud Risk Management Officer at Early Warning Services, LLC, the network operator of Zelle®. “Consumers need access to fast and convenient payment solutions. That’s why we’re committed to working with partners like the Better Business Bureau to reach people with information on how they can protect themselves while getting the most out of payment technologies.”

The educational campaign uses data reported by consumers to BBB Scam Tracker^SM, an online prevention and reporting tool that enables people to report and search scam reports.

BBB Institute and Zelle® recommend the following tips:

• Stay calm. If you are being pressured to act quickly, resist the urge to make a snap decision no matter how dramatic the story is or how threatening or intimidating the caller sounds.
• Don’t reply directly. Don’t respond to unsolicited calls, texts, or emails. Instead, call the company’s customer service number listed on their official website directly to verify the message or the call you received is legitimate.
• Go to the source or get help. When in doubt, call your local BBB® to ask for a second opinion. If you made a purchase, always verify, and track it using the company’s app or website.
• Never give personal information (Social Security Number, account numbers/passwords, license number, etc.) over the phone, especially if the call is unexpected. Scammers may impersonate a customer service representative from a known company, even spoofing a call (falsifying the name/organization on your caller ID). If you’re unsure, end the call/chat and contact the company’s customer service phone number or website.
• Never pay over the phone, especially if the call is unsolicited. Never make a payment until you have verified all of the details with a third party or via the organization’s official call center or website.
• Never allow remote access to your computer if somebody offers tech support. Shut down your computer immediately and seek support from a trusted service provider.
• Search BBB Scam Tracker. If you’re suspicious about the situation, search BBB Scam Tracker to see if anyone else has reported a similar encounter. The new BBB Scam Tracker enables you to search by email, URL, phone number, and more.
• Check the email address or URL more closely. Scammers use similar website addresses or emails to appear legitimate, but if you look closely, you may find one letter or number that is off.
• Report any scam activity to BBB Scam Tracker. Reporting scams helps protect others. BBB publishes scam reports so others can avoid the scam that targeted you.

Media Contacts

Please contact Melanie McGovern at mmcgovern@iabbb.org for all BBB media inquiries. For Zelle® inquiries, contact pressinquiries@zellepay.com.

About BBB and BBB Institute: The Better Business Bureau has empowered people to find businesses, brands, and charities they can trust for more than 110 years. In 2022, people turned to BBB more than 250 million times for BBB Business Profiles on more than 5.3 million businesses and Charity Reports on about 12,000 charities, all available for free at BBB.org.

The BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust (BBB Institute) is the BBB’s educational foundation, whose mission is to educate and protect consumers, promote best practices for businesses, and solve complex marketplace problems. BBB Institute’s consumer educational programs are delivered both digitally and in-person by Better Business Bureaus serving communities across the U.S. and Canada. You can find more information about BBB Institute and its programs at BBBMarketplaceTrust.org.

About Zelle®

Zelle® is transforming how money moves, with more than five billion digital payments sent since its launch in 2017. The Zelle Network® connects more than 2,100 bank and credit union brands of all sizes, enabling consumers and businesses to send digital payments to people and businesses they know and trust with an eligible bank account in the U.S. Money is available directly in bank accounts generally within minutes when the recipient is already enrolled with Zelle®. To learn more about Zelle® and participating financial institutions in the Zelle Network®, visit www.zelle.com. Zelle® is brought to you by Early Warning Services, LLC, an innovator in payment and risk management solutions.

About Early Warning Services, LLC

Early Warning Services, LLC, a financial services technology leader, has been empowering and protecting consumers, small businesses, and the U.S. financial system with cutting-edge fraud and payment solutions for more than three decades. We are also the company behind Zelle®, and the soon-to-launch Paze^SM, a wallet that reimagines e-commerce payments. Early Warning partners with more than 2,500 bank and credit union brands to increase access to financial services and products while protecting financial transactions. Learn more at www.earlywarning.com and connect on LinkedIn.

MIAMI – Today, Zelle® joins as a founding sponsor of Country Bay Music Festival, the largest country music festival happening in Miami-Dade County on November 11 - 12. As part of its founding partner sponsorship, Zelle® will provide fans with unforgettable experiences and access to country music’s biggest stars. Headliners Thomas Rhett, Sam Hunt and Lainey Wilson will perform from the Zelle® Stage and fans will enjoy engaging experiences throughout the two-day festival from inside Purple Paradise, the largest fan activation area at Country Bay Music Festival.

“Experiences like the Country Bay Music Festival – where friends and family can share in the moment and create wonderful memories – are what Zelle® is all about,” said Andrea Gilman, chief marketing officer of Early Warning®, the network operator of Zelle®. “Zelle® gives consumers a fast and easy way to send money to friends and family right from their banking app.”

Through this new partnership, Zelle® will also provide fans with a chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Courtesy of Zelle®, select fans will win passes to watch performances from a private section located on the Zelle® stage. Fans attending the Country Bay Music Festival are invited to spend time with Zelle® in Purple Paradise and engage with the brand on social media for a chance to win exclusive VIP experiences.

“We welcome Zelle® to the Country Bay Music Festival family and are excited about the unique elements they will bring to enhance the overall festival experience for our artists and Miami fans,” said Nelson Albareda, CEO, Loud And Live, the live events, media, marketing, and entertainment company producing the event.

To learn more about Country Bay Music Festival, and preview exclusive partnership content, follow Zelle® on Instagram and Facebook.

About Country Bay Music Festival

Miami-Dade’s largest country music event is happening, the Country Bay Music Festival is set to be staged November 11-12, 2023, on the grounds of the iconic Miami Marine Stadium at Key Biscayne. Headliners include Thomas Rhett, Sam Hunt, Chris Young, Lainey Wilson, Lee Brice, Randy Houser, Chris Lane, LOCASH and Elle King, plus Restless Road, Blanco Brown, Josh Ross, Hailey Whitters, David J., and Neon Union. Rising stars rounding out the two-day festival include BRELAND, Alexandra Rodriguez, Nate Smith, Travis Denning, Mackenzie Carpenter, and Jordan Oaks, among others. The festival offerings also include “The Saloon Experience,” a 360-degree country-themed bar complete with mechanical bull; The Country Carnival with the Country Bay Ferris Wheel, high swings, carnival games and indulgent carnival food; Lenny’s Line Dancing and the Boots and Beer Garden.

NEW YORK and WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Zelle® is launching S.A.F.E. Squad – Scam and Fraud Elimination Squad – a creative campaign designed to educate U.S. consumers about safe payment usage. Reaching a broad audience of consumers, the campaign is intended to raise awareness about payments safety.

Drawing inspiration from classic procedural detective shows, the S.A.F.E. Squad campaign features a team of investigators, with the lead portrayed by notable actor and producer Christina Ricci, as they explore and combat imposter scams. Together, the investigators provide viewers with valuable insights and offer advice on how to protect themselves from scams. In addition to the entertaining videos, the campaign features an interactive microsite with facts about imposter scams, and quizzes to help consumers test their knowledge on avoiding these crimes.

“As someone who has been targeted by scammers, I am thrilled for the opportunity to partner with Zelle® to help educate people, raise awareness about fraudulent payment schemes, and arm consumers with ways to protect themselves before they fall victim to a scam,” said actor and producer, Christina Ricci.

“Zelle® is proud to have educated millions of consumers in the U.S. to date this year, but we won’t stop there. We’re now spearheading a multi-platform, consumer education campaign as part of our ongoing commitment to payment safety,” said Andrea Gilman, chief marketing officer at Early Warning, the network operator of Zelle. “As part of our longstanding, multi-year commitment to empower U.S. consumers to protect themselves from criminals, this is one of the many ways we’re rooting out crime. Our efforts also include technology developments, in-app security alerts, public-private partnerships, and advocacy around public policy changes.”

Early Warning, the network operator of Zelle®, has educated millions of consumers on digital payments safety in 2023. In addition to the launch of S.A.F.E. Squad, the company has educated consumers of all ages through partnerships with the Better Business Bureau, National Council on Aging, EVERFI, Cybercrime Support Network, HerCampus Media and more.

The creative campaign was created in partnership with Vox Media.

About Zelle®

Zelle® is transforming how money moves, with more than five billion digital payments sent since its launch in 2017. The Zelle Network® connects more than 2,100 bank and credit union brands of all sizes, enabling consumers and businesses to send digital payments to people and businesses they know and trust with an eligible bank account in the U.S. Money is available directly in bank accounts generally within minutes when the recipient is already enrolled with Zelle®. To learn more about Zelle® and participating financial institutions in the Zelle Network®, visit www.zelle.com. Zelle® is brought to you by Early Warning Services, LLC, an innovator in payment and risk management solutions.

Zelle® and the Zelle® related marks are wholly owned by Early Warning Services, LLC.

SAN FRANCISCO – Early Warning Services, LLC, the network operator of Zelle®, drove the popular person-to-person (P2P) service to new heights in 2023 as it provided financial empowerment for millions of Americans, grew its network reach, and led the industry in scam reimbursement efforts.

2023 highlights:

• Consumers and small businesses sent 2.9 billion transactions totaling $806 billion in 2023, both up 28% year-over-year.
• 120 million consumer and small business user accounts leveraged Zelle through their financial institution in 2023.
• Q4 2023 was the largest quarter to date, with users transacting more than $219 billion across the Zelle Network®. That means an average of more than $100 million was sent per hour.

“Powered by our unmatched reach through thousands of participating banks and credit unions – and enabled by our continued efforts to enhance security and educate consumers – Zelle soared to new heights in 2023,” said Cam Fowler, CEO of Early Warning. “As the digital payments growth engine for the U.S. financial services industry, the Zelle Network remains committed to providing consumers and small businesses a way to quickly and safely pay people they know and trust.”

Small businesses sent and received over $200 billion in 2023

Zelle helps eligible small businesses improve their cash flow, reduce the need to use cash or checks, and send and receive payments directly from their banking apps.

Last year, small businesses received 217 million payments through Zelle, totaling more than $100 billion – up 44% and 39%, respectively – from 2022.

In addition, small businesses are increasingly using Zelle for various payments needs, like paying employees, vendors, and office utilities, like office space rent. Small businesses sent 179 million payments totaling $113 billion, up 34% and 29%, respectively, from 2022.

Commitment to security

The Zelle Network, and all network participants, are subject to oversight by federal financial regulatory agencies.

• The company’s efforts to protect consumers and small businesses are paying off, with less than one-tenth of one percent of transactions reported as fraud or scams in 2023. That percentage continues to get smaller due to a layered security approach, including services like Risk Insights for Zelle, which provides network participants with real-time information to assess potentially high-risk transactions.
• In addition, in-app alerts remind users throughout the payments experience to only send money to people they know and trust. In 2023, Early Warning financial institutions cautioned users more than 700 million times before they made payments.

“The impressive Zelle momentum illustrates the trust that consumers have in making P2P payments through their financial institution, and rightfully so,” said Julie Conroy, chief insights officer at Datos Insights (formerly Aite-Novarica Group). “Early Warning has been detecting and outsmarting fraudsters for the U.S. banking industry for more than 30 years. Its relentless pursuit in protecting consumers and the industry adds much-needed layers of security to the payments ecosystem.”

Educating and empowering banking customers

Through partnerships with organizations like the Better Business Bureau, and the National Council on Aging, the recently launched Scam and Fraud Elimination (S.A.F.E.) Squad educational campaign, Zelle educated millions of U.S. consumers in 2023 alone. Additionally, Zelle provides educational materials that banks and credit unions use to educate their customers.

About Zelle®

Zelle® is transforming how money moves, with more than five billion digital payments sent since its launch in 2017. The Zelle Network® connects more than 2,100 bank and credit union brands of all sizes, enabling consumers and businesses to send digital payments to people and businesses they know and trust with an eligible bank account in the U.S. Money is available directly in bank accounts generally within minutes when the recipient is already enrolled with Zelle®. To learn more about Zelle® and participating financial institutions in the Zelle Network®, visit www.zelle.com. Zelle® is brought to you by Early Warning Services, LLC, an innovator in payment and risk management solutions.

About Early Warning Services, LLC

Early Warning Services, LLC, a financial services technology leader, has been empowering and protecting consumers, small businesses, and the U.S. financial system with cutting-edge fraud and payment solutions for more than three decades. We are also the company behind Zelle®, and the soon-to-launch Paze^SM, a wallet that reimagines e-commerce payments. Early Warning partners with more than 2,500 banks and credit unions to increase access to financial services and products and protect financial transactions.

NEW YORK and ARLINGTON, VA –  Zelle® is partnering with the BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust (BBB Institute), the Better Business Bureau’s® educational foundation and the Association of Military Banks of America (AMBA) to help educate and empower our nation’s active-duty military, veterans, and their families on financial security.  

Research shows that military service members are 40% more likely to lose money to scams and fraud than the civilian population, making scam awareness and education especially important for the military community. Through a year-long “train-the-trainer” program, the BBB Institute will prepare trainers to deliver monthly in-person and virtual training to military and veteran communities across the United States. 

The first several months of the program will be dedicated to equipping BBB trainers along with financial counselors from the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) and Accredited Financial Counselor® (AFC®) professionals from the Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education® (AFCPE) with extensive fraud and scam education and building out a robust monthly curriculum. Local trainers will then host in-person sessions across the country to address the needs of our veterans, service members and their families. 

“As a veteran, I know how important it is to have peace of mind that you and your family are financially safe and secure while on deployment,” said Ben Chance, chief fraud risk management officer at Early Warning Services, LLC, the owner and operator of the Zelle Network®.

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) today announced Zelle® as a Golden Boot Club corporate partner and the official peer-to-peer payment provider of LAFC. The Club’s Golden Boot Club platform is comprised of top-tier partnerships, which provide exclusive access, visibility, and experiences for LAFC’s elite partnership level.

Zelle, a leading person-to-person payment (P2P) provider is the new presenting partner of LAFC Gold, the Club’s loyalty program which offers exclusive access and benefits to fans in Los Angeles and around the world.

“Zelle is an innovative payments industry leader that shares our vision of providing a first-class fan experience and community support,” said LAFC co-president and chief business officer Larry Freedman. “We are thrilled to welcome Zelle as a sponsor to the LAFC family and partner together to serve the Los Angeles community for years to come.”

Zelle will have a presence at BMO Stadium as the presenting partner of the premium guest entrance – the newly re-named Zelle® Grand Lobby. Zelle also partnered with the LAFC on “Saves for the Community,” a new initiative tied to one of the most exciting plays in football – the save. 

“Our partnership with the LAFC is an opportunity to enhance the in-game fan experience, by investing in our communities,” said Cameron Fowler, chief executive officer at Early Warning Services. “Zelle® is proud to commit $1,000 for every regular season save made by an LAFC goalie in support of Latinos for Education and their mission to create pathways for Latino educators to serve as decision makers and advocates for Latino students and families, increase representation, and foster collective empowerment.”

In addition to community support, Zelle is committed to improving the fan experience. With Zelle, the LAFC faithful can easily split the cost of the tickets, food, and other experiences. For example, new "Settle up in the 70th" signage during home games encourages fans at BMO Stadium to pay their friends and family back with Zelle, as concession stands close in the 70th minute.

About Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC)

The 2022 MLS Cup Champion Los Angeles Football Club has represented the greater Los Angeles area in Major League Soccer since 2018. The two-time Supporters’ Shield Champions, LAFC is dedicated to building a world-class soccer Club that represents the diversity of Los Angeles and is committed to delivering an unrivaled experience for fans. LAFC’s ownership group is comprised of local leaders and innovators of industry with intellectual capital, financial prowess, operations expertise and success in the fields of entertainment, sports, technology and media. LAFC is invested in the world’s game and Los Angeles, constructing and developing the 22,000 seat BMO Stadium and a top-flight training center on the campus of Cal State Los Angeles.

About Zelle® 

Zelle® is transforming how money moves, with more than five billion digital payments sent since its launch in 2017. The Zelle Network® connects more than 2,100 bank and credit union brands of all sizes, enabling consumers and businesses to send digital payments to people and businesses they know and trust with an eligible bank account in the U.S. Money is available directly in bank accounts generally within minutes when the recipient is already enrolled with Zelle®. To learn more about Zelle® and participating financial institutions in the Zelle Network®, visit www.zelle.com. Zelle® is brought to you by Early Warning Services, LLC, an innovator in payment and risk management solutions.

ARLINGTON, VA – As World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) approaches on June 15, Early Warning Services, LLC, the company behind Zelle®, and the National Council on Aging (NCOA) are launching a national campaign to educate and empower older adults with knowledge on how to spot and avoid online scams.

The campaign encourages older adults, caregivers, and organizations to help spread safety education tips developed by Zelle® and NCOA by using a social media toolkit. The toolkit provides content for multiple social platforms and links to informative and engaging resources specifically designed for older adults.

NCOA and Zelle® have created educational articles and videos covering business impostor scams, online scams, and text messaging scams. The materials will be disseminated through NCOA’s network of community-based organizations across the country, including nearly 11,000 senior centers, 90 organizations that enroll older adults in benefits, Senior Community Service and Employment Program sites, and numerous healthy aging grantees.

Payment scams and other types of online fraud can have a devastating financial and emotional impact on older Americans. In 2023, 18% of fraud was reported by people ages 60-69 and 13% by people ages 70-79. Together, older Americans lost over $1.6 billion, according to the Federal Trade Commission, which collects fraud data. The most commonly reported scam category was imposter scams, which saw significant increases in reports of both business and government impersonators.

“Research shows that when people are exposed to relevant education on financial crime and payments safety, they are significantly less likely to engage with scammers and to lose money,” said Andrea Gilman, Early Warning chief marketing officer. ““We at Zelle® believe that consumer education is a critical piece in the multi-layered approach to fighting financial criminals, alongside implementing technology safeguards and forming public-private partnerships. In addition to our consumer protection efforts, we are actively working with policymakers and other payment networks to look across the entire ecosystem to truly address the $1 trillion threat of fraud and scams that impacts consumers around the world, whether they pay with crypto, wire transfers, gift cards, or using a peer-to-peer service.”

Last year alone, Zelle® educated nearly 40 million consumers of all ages through their partnerships with organizations like NCOA, the Better Business Bureau, and others.

“As more older adults are adopting new forms of technology and communication, they are more vulnerable to being a victim of a scam,” said Genevieve Waterman, NCOA director of Corporate Partnerships and Engagement. “Our educational materials will show older adults the different techniques financial criminals use and will help them recognize the telltale signs of scams.”

Held each year on June 15, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day aims to raise awareness about the abuse and neglect some older adults may experience. It serves as a reminder to governments, organizations, and communities to take steps to prevent elder abuse and protect the rights and dignity of older adults worldwide.

About Zelle®

Zelle® is transforming how money moves, with more than five billion digital payments sent since its launch in 2017. The Zelle Network® connects more than 2,100 bank and credit union brands of all sizes, enabling consumers and businesses to send digital payments to people and businesses they know and trust with an eligible bank account in the U.S. Money is available directly in bank accounts generally within minutes when the recipient is already enrolled with Zelle®. To learn more about Zelle® and participating financial institutions in the Zelle Network®, visit www.zelle.com. Zelle® is brought to you by Early Warning Services, LLC, an innovator in payment and risk management solutions.

About NCOA

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is the national voice for every person’s right to age well. We believe that how we age should not be determined by gender, color, sexuality, income, or ZIP code. Working with thousands of national and local partners, we provide resources, tools, best practices, and advocacy to ensure every person can age with health and financial security. Founded in 1950, we are the oldest national organization focused on older adults. Learn more at www.ncoa.org and @NCOAging.