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As Valentine’s Day approaches, hearts will melt, but some will inevitably be broken by romance scams. This season of love creates an opportune moment for scammers to prey on individuals feeling lonely or seeking connection. Financial institutions should take this time to warn customers about the heightened risks and encourage vigilance against fraud. In a tale as heart-wrenching as it is cautionary, a French woman named Anne was conned out of nearly $855,000 in a romance scam that lasted over a year. Believing she was communicating with Hollywood star Brad Pitt; Anne was manipulated by scammers who leveraged AI technology to impersonate the actor convincingly. Personalized messages, fabricated photos, and elaborate lies about financial needs made the scam seem credible. Anne’s story, though extreme, highlights the alarming prevalence and sophistication of romance scams in today’s digital age. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), nearly 70,000 Americans reported romance scams in 2022, with losses totaling $1.3 billion—an average of $4,400 per victim. These scams, which play on victims’ emotions, are becoming increasingly common and devastating, targeting individuals of all ages and backgrounds. Financial institutions have a crucial role in protecting their customers from these schemes. The lifecycle of a romance scam Romance scams follow a consistent pattern: Feigned connection: Scammers create fake profiles on social media or dating platforms using attractive photos and minimal personal details. Building trust: Through lavish compliments, romantic conversations, and fabricated sob stories, scammers forge emotional bonds with their targets. Initial financial request: Once trust is established, the scammer asks for small financial favors, often citing emergencies. Escalation: Requests grow larger, with claims of dire situations such as medical emergencies or legal troubles. Disappearance: After draining the victim’s funds, the scammer vanishes, leaving emotional and financial devastation in their wake. Lloyds Banking Group reports that men made up 52% of romance scam victims in 2023, though women lost more on average (£9,083 vs. £5,145). Individuals aged 55-64 were the most susceptible, while those aged 65-74 faced the largest losses, averaging £13,123 per person. Techniques scammers use Romance scammers are experts in manipulation. Common tactics include: Fabricated sob stories: Claims of illness, injury, or imprisonment. Investment opportunities: Offers to “teach” victims about investing. Military or overseas scenarios: Excuses for avoiding in-person meetings. Gift and delivery scams: Requests for money to cover fake customs fees. How financial institutions can help Banks and financial institutions are on the frontlines of combating romance scams. By leveraging technology and adopting proactive measures, they can intercept fraud before it causes irreparable harm. 1. Customer education and awareness Conduct awareness campaigns to educate clients about common scam tactics. Provide tips on recognizing fake profiles and unsolicited requests. Share real-life stories, like Anne’s, to highlight the risks. 2. Advanced data capture solutions Implement systems that gather and analyze real-time customer data, such as IP addresses, browsing history, and device usage patterns. Use behavioral analytics to detect anomalies in customer actions, such as hesitation or rushed transactions, which may indicate stress or coercion. 3. AI and machine learning Utilize AI-driven tools to analyze vast datasets and identify suspicious patterns. Deploy daily adaptive models to keep up with emerging fraud trends. 4. Real-time fraud interception Establish rules and alerts to flag unusual transactions. Intervene with personalized messages before transfers occur, asking “Do you know and trust this person?” Block transactions if fraud is suspected, ensuring customers’ funds are secure. Collaborating for greater impact Financial institutions cannot combat romance scams alone. Partnerships with social media platforms, AI companies, and law enforcement are essential. Social media companies must shut down fake profiles proactively, while regulatory frameworks should enable banks to share information about at-risk customers. Conclusion Romance scams exploit the most vulnerable aspects of human nature: the desire for love and connection. Stories like Anne’s underscore the emotional and financial toll these scams take on victims. However, with robust technological solutions and proactive measures, financial institutions can play a pivotal role in protecting their customers. By staying ahead of fraud trends and educating clients, banks can ensure that the pursuit of love remains a source of joy, not heartbreak. Learn more
As data breaches become an ever-growing threat to businesses, the role of employees in maintaining cybersecurity has never been more critical. Did you know that 82% of data breaches involve the human element1 , such as phishing, stolen credentials, or social engineering tactics? These statistics reveal a direct connection between employee identity theft and business vulnerabilities. In this blog, we’ll explore why protecting your employees’ identities is essential to reducing data breach risk, how employee-focused identity protection programs, and specifically employee identity protection, improve both cybersecurity and employee engagement, and how businesses can implement comprehensive solutions to safeguard sensitive data and enhance overall workforce well-being. The Rising Challenge: Data Breaches and Employee Identity Theft The past few years have seen an exponential rise in data breaches. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, there were 1,571 data compromises in the first half of 2024, impacting more than 1.1 billion individuals – a 490% increase year over year2. A staggering proportion of these breaches originated from compromised employee credentials or phishing attacks. Explore Experian's Employee Benefits Solutions The Link Between Employee Identity Theft and Cybersecurity Risks Phishing and Social EngineeringPhishing attacks remain one of the top strategies used by cybercriminals. These attacks often target employees by exploiting personal information stolen through identity theft. For example, a cybercriminal who gains access to an employee's compromised email or social accounts can use this information to craft realistic phishing messages, tricking them into divulging sensitive company credentials. Compromised Credentials as Entry PointsCompromised employee credentials were responsible for 16% of breaches and were the costliest attack vector, averaging $4.5 million per breach3. When an employee’s identity is stolen, it can give hackers a direct line to your company’s network, jeopardizing sensitive data and infrastructure. The Cost of DowntimeBeyond the financial impact, data breaches disrupt operations, erode customer trust, and harm your brand. For businesses, the average downtime from a breach can last several weeks – time that could otherwise be spent growing revenue and serving clients. Why Businesses Need to Prioritize Employee Identity Protection Protecting employee identities isn’t just a personal benefit – it’s a strategic business decision. Here are three reasons why identity protection for employees is essential to your cybersecurity strategy: 1. Mitigate Human Risk in Cybersecurity Employee mistakes, often resulting from phishing scams or misuse of credentials, are a leading cause of breaches. By equipping employees with identity protection services, businesses can significantly reduce the likelihood of stolen information being exploited by fraudsters and cybercriminals. 2. Boost Employee Engagement and Financial Wellness Providing identity protection as part of an employee benefits package signals that you value your workforce’s security and well-being. Beyond cybersecurity, offering such protections can enhance employee loyalty, reduce stress, and improve productivity. Employers who pair identity protection with financial wellness tools can empower employees to monitor their credit, secure their finances, and protect against fraud, all of which contribute to a more engaged workforce. 3. Enhance Your Brand Reputation A company’s cybersecurity practices are increasingly scrutinized by customers, stakeholders, and regulators. When you demonstrate that you prioritize not just protecting your business, but also safeguarding your employees’ identities, you position your brand as a leader in security and trustworthiness. Practical Strategies to Protect Employee Identities and Reduce Data Breach Risk How can businesses take actionable steps to mitigate risks and protect their employees? Here are some best practices: Offer Comprehensive Identity Protection Solutions A robust identity protection program should include: Real-time monitoring for identity theft Alerts for suspicious activity on personal accounts Data and device protection to protect personal information and devices from identity theft, hacking and other online threats Fraud resolution services for affected employees Credit monitoring and financial wellness tools Leading providers like Experian offer customizable employee benefits packages that provide proactive identity protection, empowering employees to detect and resolve potential risks before they escalate. Invest in Employee Education and Training Cybersecurity is only as strong as your least-informed employee. Provide regular training sessions and provide resources to help employees recognize phishing scams, understand the importance of password hygiene, and learn how to avoid oversharing personal data online. Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) MFA adds an extra layer of security, requiring employees to verify their identity using multiple credentials before accessing sensitive systems. This can drastically reduce the risk of compromised credentials being misused. Partner with a Trusted Identity Protection Provider Experian’s suite of employee benefits solutions combines identity protection with financial wellness tools, helping your employees stay secure while also boosting their financial confidence. Only Experian can offer these integrated solutions with unparalleled expertise in both identity protection and credit monitoring. Conclusion: Identity Protection is the Cornerstone of Cybersecurity The rising tide of data breaches means that businesses can no longer afford to overlook the role of employee identity in cybersecurity. By prioritizing identity protection for employees, organizations can reduce the risk of costly breaches and also create a safer, more engaged, and financially secure workforce. Ready to protect your employees and your business? Take the next step toward safeguarding your company’s future. Learn more about Experian’s employee benefits solutions to see how identity protection and financial wellness tools can transform your workplace security and employee engagement. Learn more 1 2024 Experian Data Breach Response Guide 2 Identity Theft Resource Center. H1 2024 Data Breach Analysis 3 2023 IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report
There’s no question times have been tough for consumers in the last few years due to the higher incidence of unemployment, bankruptcies, home foreclosures and increased credit balances. Unfortunately, these issues have a way of trickling down to communication companies’ collection departments, many of which are scrambling with heavier workloads and fewer resources. The key for cable, wireless, and telecom companies like yours is to prioritize your collection portfolio by first contacting the people most likely to pay. Once you’ve identified these people, your next task is to access and record any changes to their accounts, such as a new phone number or any improvements to their credit profile. But how can you get these updates without having to check their credit reports on a regular basis? Trigger program to the rescue By scrapping the usual manual skip tracing activities and using a “trigger” program, telecom industry collection staff can proactively obtain information as fresh as 24 hours old. Most trigger programs allow you to monitor any type of data, such as phone numbers, addresses, or places of employment. You can even use events, such as a change in the debtor’s financial status, to trigger an alert. This is especially helpful for cases in which your collection team has the right contact information, but the customer does not have the ability to pay. Being the first to contact the debtor when he or she again has money is crucial, because many collectors are likely competing for these funds to pay off debt. Save time, save money Most trigger program providers will monitor your portfolio for free, only charging on a per-trigger basis. Not only does this save valuable collector time, it also avoids the expense of pulling a full credit report on the consumer (and hoping that the information was recently updated). As more and more of your collection accounts become active again, and your customers’ credit improves, a trigger program helps your company be first in line to contact them for repayment. To learn more about how collection account monitoring tools can benefit your company, read our case study about how accounts receivable management firm First Financial Asset Management, Inc. was able to increase its collections by $3.5 million—a return of $72 for every $1 spent on trigger data.
The subject of “bill shock” has been getting an increasing amount of coverage lately. On one side, the FCC and consumer groups are advocating new regulations mandating customer alerts and other information to help customers avoid unexpected monthly charges, or “bill shock.” On the other side, three wireless industry groups, CTIA, the Rural Cellular Association (RCA) and the Rural Telecommunications Group (RTG), have come out in opposition to the FCC’s proposed mandate. The consumer view According to Consumer Reports, bill shock is a common occurrence: One in five survey respondents reported receiving an unexpectedly high bill in the previous year, often for exceeding the plan's voice, text, or data limits… half of them were hit for at least $50, and one in five for more than $100. The industry view In comments to the FCC, the CTIA maintained that new mandates were not only unnecessary but costly, and that carriers already provided sufficient monitoring tools for customers. In addition, the CTIA argued that the FCC did not have the authority to impose such rules and that they would violate First Amendment protections: The FCC should refrain from initiating prescriptive rules that not only would likely cost carriers (and therefore consumers) tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars to put into practice, but that also would raise numerous legal issues, create substantial implementation challenges, and force companies to upgrade to a set of government standards instead of creatively competing in the provision of service to customers. A No-Win Situation? The issue puts carriers in an awkward position. Even if they prevail with the FCC and prevent the proposed mandates, they may still lose in terms of public relations with consumers. Connected Planet Blogger Susana Schwartz got to the heart of the matter with the question of who is ultimately responsible: the customer or the carrier? At what point is it too much responsibility to put on the carriers’ shoulders and at what point should people be held responsible for their choices? Regardless of the answer to such philosophical questions, there are the three key FCC proposals that wireless carriers need to be aware of as the issue moves forward. Three New Potential FCC Mandates Over-the-Limit Alerts: The FCC’s proposed rules would require customer notification, such as voice or text alerts, when the customer approaches and reaches monthly limits that will result in overage charges. Out-of-the-Country Alerts: The FCC’s proposed rules would require mobile providers to notify customers when they are about to incur international or other roaming charges that are not covered by their monthly plans, and if they will be charged at higher-than-normal rates. Easy-to-Find Tools: The FCC’s proposed rules would require clear disclosure of any tools offered by mobile providers to set usage limits or review usage balances. The FCC is also asking for comment on whether all carriers should be required to offer the option of capping usage based on limits set by the consumer. How will these proposals affect your business? Let us know your concerns. We’ll keep a close watch on this issue as it develops and keep you posted.
This is the third post in our series about bundling. In the previous two posts, I discussed 1) the many benefits of bundling services and 2) how to determine who might be a good candidate for bundled services. When it comes to maximizing upside and mitigating risk, of primary concern is knowing your customer’s payment history and creditworthiness. But once you’ve identified good candidates for bundled services, just what is it you should offer? An offer they can’t refuse As with most marketing practices, there is no exact formula for creating a successful bundled package. Some considerations include: Making sure the package is worth more than the sum of its parts. If it costs the same to buy each of the services separately, your customers might very well go shopping elsewhere for each individual service. Creating a package that makes it easier to choose from various options. An overly complicated offer is more likely to drive customers away. On the other hand, an offer that simplifies your customer’s life is going to be more attractive. Ensuring that the customer feels at least one product in the bundle is a “need” item. For example, many consumers require a landline for an alarm system, which makes the landline a “need item” for them. Linking an essential service or product (“need item”) to a luxury product/service (“nice to have”) adds value to the package and makes it more attractive to certain consumers. Because the package includes a need item, these consumers would think twice before skipping a payment. Providing a few choices rather than a one-size-fits-all offer. Create several packages at different price points that include different options. To determine the most appropriate services to bundle, you need to drill down to find out what products are most appealing in a particular market. For instance, bundling might be more appealing in some higher income point populations as opposed to lower income areas. Understanding a customer’s cash flow situation and accommodating for a certain degree of bill shock can go a long way toward creating bundled offers that customers actually respond to in a positive way. Any questions? If you’re thinking about getting into the bundling game — or expanding on your current bundling strategy — you have a lot to consider beyond these three posts. If you have specific questions in the realm of bundling you would like to see addressed, please be sure to comment on this post.