Elder Fraud | CT & Westerly RI Fraud Prevention

Learn how to recognize, prevent, and report elder fraud

Keep yourself and your loved ones safe

Identify schemes that are suspicious

Be careful when using social media

Stay alert anytime you're doing business online

Online Dating

Be careful when meeting people online. Scammers will use stolen photos of attractive individuals or celebrities to lower your guard when first speaking with them. In one such example, a German life coach told CBS that scammers have used his images to create more than 100 fake profiles to defraud individuals. Facebook reports that they take down millions of fake accounts daily. And according to Norton, 40% of people using dating apps have reported being targeted by a dating scam, which increases year over year.

Suspicious Signs

They profess their love quickly.
Claims to be overseas or out of state for business or the military.
Claims they need money for emergencies, hospital bills, an investment, or for travel to come see you.

How to Protect Yourself

Don’t overshare with people you don’t know.
Watch for fast movers. Stop and take a moment to think, “Does this sound right?”
Be realistic. Why would this person need money to visit you if they are wealthy themselves? Do they make up a reason why they can’t follow through on seeing you in person?
Avoid people who won’t meet in person.
Don’t be afraid to ask direct questions.
Never transfer money from your bank account to buy gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire money to an online love interest.
Contact Dime Bank or family if you have any concerns. We’re here to help!

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Money Mule Scams

If someone sends you money and for any reason asks you to send some back or to another person – STOP. You could be unknowingly used as a money mule. A money mule is someone fraudsters use to transfer and launder stolen money. Money mules are recruited in various ways:

Online job offers
Prize offers
An inheritance from a family member you have never met
Online dating websites
Hobby & interest groups

Protect Yourself from Becoming a Money Mule

Never provide your banking information.
Never allow anyone access into your online banking.
Never pay to collect a “prize” or “winnings” of greater value.
Never send money to someone you met online even if they have sent money to you in the past.

If any of this has happened to you, contact Dime Bank and report the activity to the Federal Trade Commission.

Other Ways to Protect Yourself from Fraud

Do not pay for anything in gift cards, cryptocurrency, or gold.
If you’re unsure about a situation, AARP has a toll-free line you can call at 877-908-3360, that offers free advice as an objective party Monday-Friday 8AM-8PM EST.
Do not feel the need to engage by answering unsolicited phone calls, emails, or text messages from strangers.
Do not be afraid to say no over the phone if you are not comfortable with a situation.
Trust your instincts!

We use multiple layers of protection to safeguard your information, including secure online and mobile banking, multi-factor authentication, real time transaction monitoring, and advanced fraud detection tools. Our team actively reviews unusual activity and will contact you if we detect anything out of the ordinary.

Your security is part of our commitment to being a dependable financial partner in our communities.

If something doesn’t look right, contact us right away.

If it’s after business hours and you believe your online banking credentials were compromised, use the Forgot Password feature to reset your password immediately.

We’ll guide you through the next steps and work with you to secure your accounts.

A scam pretending to be your bank usually shows itself through urgency or unusual requests. If someone pressures you to act immediately, asks for your password or security codes, tells you to transfer money, or sends a link asking you to log in, it’s almost certainly fraudulent. Real banks don’t rush you, don’t ask for sensitive information, and expect you to use their official website or app directly.

If you believe you have been contacted by someone pretending to be from Dime Bank, please call us immediately.