Fortify Your Financial Health Against Fraud

With the turn of the calendar into a fresh new year, January is a prime time for resetting your financial goals. According to the 2025 Bankrate New Year Financial Resolutions Survey, the most common resolutions are to save more (44%), pay down debt (36%), and spend less (30%).

Good financial health starts with clarity, but it should also include a solid plan for fraud prevention. After all, scammers can undo months of hard work in just a moment.

Check out this guide to protecting your finances to set yourself up for a successful year ahead!

Start with a Financial Checkup

It’s essential to know the current state of your finances so that you can tell when something seems off. Review your budget and credit report, going over the details regarding how much you’re spending (especially via autopayments), how much debt you currently have, and what you’re consistently saving. This will help make sure there are no surprises—and if there are, it’s more likely fraud!

In addition, put guardrails in place to give you peace of mind while you’re busy with life. When possible, turn on multifactor authentication for any account or profile that has your card or bank account on file, making it harder for scammers to get in. Similarly, set up account alerts to ensure that you can take action immediately on anything suspicious.

Stay Attuned to Fraud Trends

Pennsylvanians lost nearly $400 million to scams in 2024, with over 27,000 fraud reports filed—this is the fifth highest in the country.

At CrossState, we hear from credit union staff every day on our Compliance Hotline. Here are some of the most common issues reported:

• Impersonation Scams: Someone pretends to be a bank, utility company, or government agency.
• Phishing Emails & Fake Texts: Communications come in with links claiming “your account is locked” or “you missed a toll.”
• Elder Fraud: Common examples include “grandchild in trouble” and romance scams. AI tools are making voice spoofing more convincing than ever.

Watch for Red Flags

While many scammers are getting more and more sophisticated, there are certain signs that they may not be legitimate if you pay attention:

• Pressure and urgency to “act now or else”
• Phone requests for personal data such as login info or verification codes
• Unusual payment methods like pay via gift cards, crypto, or wire transfers
• Someone asking you to keep a secret
• A request for money from someone you’ve never met in person
• Emails or texts with misspelled sender names or other typos

Stay Safe with Mindfulness and Caution

When you encounter something that feels like it might be a scam, follow these tips for ensuring that you protect yourself:

• Pause before reacting to pressure.
• Verify a phone call by hanging up and calling a known number.
• Report any fraud attempts to your credit union or the authorities.
• Talk to older loved ones regularly so you know what’s happening with them. Many scams target seniors.

Above all, trust your gut! If something feels off, it likely is.

Trust Your Credit Union as a Resource

Your credit union is here to help you stay financially safe and strong in 2026. Most offer:

• Fraud alerts and monitoring
• Free financial education
• Personalized guidance

Plus, they always have trusted staff who know their members and are skilled at noticing unusual behavior and asking questions, helping stop fraud in its tracks.

Fraud can be intimidating and scary, but it doesn’t have to be! Reach out to your credit union for guidance and support in building the right financial plan for you.