By Kamira LaNay
Correspondent
Texas Metro News
At Thursday’s Protect Your Money: Banking Safety & Scam Prevention event in Dallas, financial experts and community advocates provided information to help older adults spot scams and protect their finances. The event was hosted by Comerica Bank, a division of Fifth Third Bank, and held August 20 at Comerica BusinessHQ in Dallas.
The event brought together fraud prevention experts from Fifth Third Bank, the Federal Trade Commission and The Senior Source to discuss common scams targeting older adults, warning signs and ways consumers can protect their personal and financial information.
The discussion comes as Texans 60 and older reported $678.6 million in losses to cybercrime in 2025, according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. Experts explained how scammers use phone calls, texts, emails and impersonation to gain access to personal information or convince people to send money.
Kris Edwards, Fifth Third Bank’s head of fraud prevention, said scammers are using increasingly sophisticated methods to gain people’s trust, saying that “Scammers are becoming more advanced, and we’re seeing a significant rise in fraud attempts, including schemes that impersonate banks, government agencies and even family members,” Edwards said. “That’s why education is one of our strongest defenses.”
Edwards said consumers should be cautious when someone creates a sense of urgency or pressures them to provide information or move money. He also warned that Comerica customers preparing to transition to Fifth Third following Fifth Third’s acquisition of Comerica could be targeted by scammers impersonating bank representatives during the Labor Day weekend transition. Customers should be cautious of unexpected calls, text messages or links and verify that they are communicating through Fifth Third’s established channels.
“Watch the mail, because that’s one of the standard ways we’ll communicate important information, including how to sign up for mobile and online banking,” Edwards said. He advised customers to avoid suspicious texts and unknown links and verify that they are visiting the official Fifth Third Bank website.
Kelle Slaughter, an FTC Southwest Region senior investigator, said the information shared at the event can also help families and communities recognize and report fraud. “People learn how to spot scams, avoid them, report fraud and identity theft, and where to turn for help,” Slaughter said.
Slaughter encouraged consumers to consider placing a credit freeze if their information has been compromised and to use the provided security tools offered by banks and credit card companies. Consumers who experience fraud or identity theft can report it through the FTC’s reporting system.
As scams continue to change, experts stress the importance of taking a moment to pause and verify before responding to requests for money or personal information.
“Fraud prevention starts with awareness,” Edwards said. “By understanding common scam tactics, recognizing red flags and taking a moment to verify suspicious requests, consumers can significantly reduce their risk of becoming a victim of fraud.”
Kamira LaNay is a 2026 Journalism and Communications graduate of Morgan State University. She will spend the next year as a Texas Metro News Fellow.
