Fraud isn’t new, but scammers are getting more creative every day. Protecting our money requires awareness, vigilance and strategy. In this episode, we’re diving into financial red flags, common scams and how to protect your cash.

I’m joined by Chelsea Treboniak, West Point graduate, U.S. Army veteran and financial fraud prevention leader. With her expertise in critical infrastructure protection and financial security Chelsea shares wisdom on traditional fraud schemes, modern cyber scams and the psychology behind financial crimes. From elder fraud and imposter scams to account takeovers, she helps us understand how to detect and prevent fraud before it’s too late.

Whether you manage your own finances or are looking out for loved ones, this conversation will give you actionable steps to stay one step ahead of the scammers. Tune in as we break it down, explore the warning signs and make financial literacy more accessible for everyone.

Episode Highlights: 

[00:45] We are going to talk about financial red flags and avoiding scams and protecting our money.

[01:07] We're joined by West Point graduate Chelsea Treboniak who's passionate about critical infrastructure protection.

[02:25] It's Chelsea's passion to give back.

[03:27] Fraud is nothing new. We're just comparing a more traditional fraud perspective with a more modern fraud perspective.

[04:42] Fraud actors have become more sophisticated with things like cyber fraud by layering things that worked in the past into a digital world.

[06:50] We talk about the need to protect people from the older generation who may be more trusting. 

[07:33] We talk about the importance of keeping our staff up to date on forms of elder abuse.

[08:25] Being proactive and recognizing fraud before it's too late. Ask yourself if this is too good to be true? 

[09:06] Your financial institution will not encourage you to take urgent action. Do something on the front end to protect yourself and your financial institution.

[10:10] Keep educating because repetition is crucial. Explain clues about unusual communications such as typos in email and links to click on. If asked for critical information, just hang up.

[12:12] We talk about strategies to better protect your identity. Slow down. Security goes down with convenience on the rise.

[13:55] Take a step back. Have a colleague check it.

[14:49] There's also a lot we can do as far as rules and tools. We can create necessary friction points. We can also deploy tools to reinforce these rules.

[15:53] Chelsea talks about tools used to monitor and keep accounts safe.

[18:44] As a credit union, you can also cater your awareness campaigns around the average age of your members.

[20:33] A unique scam story. Psychology is a significant part of lessons learned from the scam. 

[22:00] The psychology of the fraud triangle. 

[23:07] There's also a layer of embarrassment that sticks with people.

[24:11] Education is key with our credit union members.

[25:04] Chelsea shares who has made a meaningful impact in her life when it comes to financial literacy and our conversation today. 

Resources & Links: 

• Acclaim Federal Credit Union
• Chelsea Treboniak - Critical Ops
• Chelsea Treboniak - LinkedIn
• Chelsea Treboniak - CUNA