Baltimore – Scam and fraud prevention doesn’t stop with a single training. It spreads when trusted local leaders take what they learn and put it to work in their communities.
Across 11,769 miles and eight cities, Zelle and Consumer Action – a national non-profit dedicated to consumer advocacy, protection and financial empowerment – have built a network of local community advocates to lead scam and fraud prevention efforts in the communities they serve. Through free hands-on training, practical resources and direct funding, the program helps community leaders turn what they learn into local action, and equip even more people to recognize, prevent and report scams.
Many participating leaders work directly with underserved populations that traditional consumer education efforts may not reach effectively, making trusted, locally delivered guidance an essential part of preventing scams. Each workshop includes:
- A live introduction to the latest edition of Consumer Action's "Just Say No to Scams" educational module, a free resource that includes a multilingual consumer guide and tip sheet along with tools for conducting community education.
- A working session on preventing and recovering from identity theft.
- Resources for staying up to date on the latest frauds as they emerge.
- Training from FightCybercrime.org, a national organization partnering with Zelle to support people impacted by cybercrime, that equips community advocates to respond with empathy and connect people who have experienced romance scams with helpful resources.
In 2026, the tour has traveled to Dallas, West Palm Beach, Chicago, Seattle, Philadelphia and Baltimore – tripling the number of stops held in 2025. A final 2026 event is scheduled in November in San Francisco.
“Scammers manufacture trust with fake profiles, calls, messages and marketplace posts, then direct people to send them money using cash, wires, gift cards, crypto, or digital payments,” said Sean Oblack, head of Public Affairs for Zelle. “Stopping fraud and scams requires attacking the lie at every point – removing fraudulent online profiles and posts, blocking scam calls and texting messages and disrupting criminal networks. This program adds a critical layer by equipping trusted community leaders to help people recognize the lie before they act.”
The program is designed to also seed local action that continues long after each event. Participating organizations can apply for a $1,000 grant to host train-the-trainer events of their own, turning one group of informed advocates into a broader network of local educators. The funding helps trusted organizations convene their communities, share practical tools, and help more people recognize scams before they send money. So far, 25 organizations have been selected to receive these grants, with additional recipients to be announced.
“This was my first Consumer Action seminar, and it was not only helpful, informative, and resourceful,” said Tere Wang, Financial Pathways, an Illinois nonprofit organization that teaches personal finance and economics to young people. “But one of the most valuable parts was the dedicated time for networking and highlighting the fantastic organizations doing amazing work in their communities."
The tour may leave each city, but the work stays in the community. As grant recipients host trainings of their own, each stop becomes a launch point for locally led scam prevention – expanding a national tour into a network of trusted advocates who can help people recognize scams before money moves.
Zelle and Consumer Action will continue these events throughout 2027.
About Zelle®
Zelle® powers fast, reliable person-to-person digital payments, moving more than $1 trillion between millions of consumer and small business accounts at United States banks and credit unions. Available through a network of more than 2,400 financial institutions, Zelle® enables people to send and receive money directly – without cash, checks or third-party apps. Zelle® is owned and operated by Early Warning Services, LLC, which works with America’s banks, credit unions and government agencies to drive prosperity, deliver bold innovation and improve how payments are made. Learn more at www.zelle.com.