Fraud is no longer something that happens somewhere else. It is happening here, in our small towns, in our communities, and to people we know.
Last year alone, Americans reported losing more than $16.6 billion to fraud, according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. Nearly 860,000 internet crime complaints were filed nationwide, and the Federal Trade Commission received more than 2.6 million fraud reports.
Behind those numbers are real people. Seniors who have worked a lifetime to build financial security. Families trying to make ends meet. Neighbors who never imagined they would fall victim to a scam. Even our young people are being targeted, often caught off guard as they learn how to manage money in an increasingly digital world.
As a credit union serving rural Kansas, we see firsthand how sophisticated these scams have become. Scammers send convincing text messages about…
This involves defrauding the state or using government systems to steal from individuals.
- Tax Identity Theft: A criminal uses your ID and income details to file a tax return in your name and claim a refund before you do.
- Grant/Benefit Fraud: Falsely claiming unemployment, disability, or social grants that the perpetrator is not entitled to.