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 concern, and the latest Zelle study shows a large majority of all Americans believe finances impact their mental health (72%).

“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.