SCOTTSDALE, Arizona, June 15, 2023 – 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.zellepay.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.
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Centers for Disease Control, “The State of Mental Health and Aging in America,” 2020
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Zelle®, “Money & Mental Health” Study, 2023