By Aaron Allen, The Portland Medium
On Wednesday, Chase and the Seattle Police Department, in partnership with Kin On Seattle Community Center, held the Chase x Kin On Senior Financial Health Workshop to help protect seniors from online fraud and scams. As Valentine’s Day approaches, online shopping, dating sites, and digital transactions put seniors at an increased risk of financial exploitation, making workshops like this essential in educating the community.
“This is to promote the scam and fraud prevention workshop for the senior community,” said Rock Fong, Vice President of Community and Business Development at Chase. “The reason why this is so important to us is, currently our senior community is the most highly exposed when it comes to scam and fraud situations. Especially when we are close to Valentine’s Day, there are a lot of romance scams going on right now.”
Protecting senior citizens from fraudulent schemes is critical, as they are often targeted due to their vulnerability and financial resources. Falling victim to scams can cause significant financial losses, emotional distress, and even health impacts.
According to Fong, the first line of defense is awareness, but learning additional precautionary measures is crucial in keeping seniors and their assets safe.
“That’s why we want to utilize this opportunity, to really educate our community, especially our senior citizens, on how to better protect themselves,” Fong said. “A lot of times, not only is it important to learn how to protect yourself, but also to understand how these scams work so we can all be more vigilant.”
Fong outlined key guidelines to help seniors and the broader community prevent financial crimes and avoid financial loss:
• Be cautious with strangers: Stick to connecting only with people you know on social media and be wary of anyone hesitant to meet in person. Protect your privacy by blocking unwanted texts and calls and never sharing personal financial details.
• Verify identities: Online dating is popular, but scammers often create fake profiles. If someone has very few photos, refuses video calls, or avoids meeting in person, be cautious before sharing any personal information.
• Be skeptical of sob stories: Scammers frequently use emotional manipulation to gain trust. Be wary of urgent or dramatic stories, such as a family crisis, medical emergency, or needing money for travel—these are common red flags used to pressure people into sending money.
• Don’t send money: Avoid sending funds to anyone you’ve only communicated with online or over the phone. This includes payments through peer-to-peer (P2P) apps, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or gift cards—all methods commonly requested by scammers because they are difficult to trace and recover.
• Be wary of payment requests: If someone asks for financial help—especially in unconventional ways—treat it as a major warning sign.
• Protect personal information: Never share sensitive personal details, including your address, financial information, or Social Security number, with someone you haven’t met in person.
• Trust your instincts: Scammers may try to make you feel paranoid or guilty if you hesitate to send money. If something feels off, trust your gut and seek advice from a trusted friend or family member.
• Beware of urgency: Scammers often rush relationships or financial requests. If someone is pushing for quick action, take a step back and evaluate the situation.
The partnership between Chase and the Seattle Police Department is beneficial to vulnerable populations in the community, helping to provide resources and education on the best ways to prevent theft and fraud. Detective Derek
Sandbeck, of the Seattle Police Department, emphasized the importance of educating the public on financial crimes, particularly fraud targeting seniors.
“This topic is a big topic, such a very important topic,” said Sandbeck. “This is vastly underreported, and it is essential that people become aware because awareness is the best way to help prevent these types of crimes.”
Fong also stressed the importance of working with law enforcement to provide real-life scenarios and actionable steps for individuals who encounter fraud attempts.
“We have partners like the Seattle Police Department who can also give us scenarios around how to deal with a situation,” Fong said. “Also, it helps that if things happen, we can advise what type of precautionary measures to take and what to do after the fact, so that everybody can be better prepared.”
