Protect yourself from financial exploitation

Financial exploitation occurs when someone improperly uses another person’s money or assets for personal benefit. Older adults are often targeted, but anyone can be affected. Thrivent has safeguards designed to help protect you.

Thrivent uses monitoring, trained teams, and response processes designed to help safeguard client accounts when suspicious activity or potential exploitation is identified.

• Specialized support: Teams review potential exploitation, fraud, identity theft, and other suspicious activity concerns.
• Activity monitoring: We review for red flags such as unusual withdrawals, sudden changes, requests that appear inconsistent with your history, or other activity that may indicate risk.
• Additional verification and transaction: When appropriate and permitted, Thrivent may take steps such as asking additional questions, contacting you through known contact information, or temporarily delaying certain transactions to help prevent potential loss.
• Escalation and reporting: When appropriate, Thrivent may escalate concerns internally or report suspected exploitation to appropriate authorities as permitted or required.

• Trusted Contact Person: You can designate someone Thrivent may contact if we cannot reach you or have concerns about your well-being or possible suspicious account activity. A Trusted Contact Person does not have authority to make transactions or account decisions unless separately authorized.

  Trusted Contact Designation Form

You can help protect yourself by using these habits and taking action early when something seems unusual.

• Add a Trusted Contact Person: Name someone Thrivent may contact if we are unable to reach you or have concerns about possible suspicious activity involving your account.
• Protect your personal information: Never share account details, passwords, verification codes, or Social Security numbers with unsolicited contacts. Use strong passwords, keep your contact information current, and monitor accounts and statements regularly.
• Pause and verify before acting: Be cautious of unexpected calls, emails, texts, or messages requesting money or personal information. Contact organizations directly using independently obtained contact information before sending money, sharing information, or granting access to your computer or phone.
• Talk with someone you trust: Discuss large, unusual, or urgent financial requests with a trusted person before acting, especially if you are asked to keep the request secret.
• Plan ahead: Keep estate planning documents, powers of attorney, beneficiary information, and trusted contact information up to date.

Scammers and exploiters often use pressure, secrecy, fear, or promises of quick returns. Be alert for warning signs such as requests to act immediately, move money, buy gift cards, use cryptocurrency, wire funds, provide remote access to a device, or keep the conversation secret. Common schemes include:

• Impersonation: Someone pretends to be a government agency, financial institution, or family member.
• Romance: A person builds trust online and then asks for money due to an emergency, investment, or hardship.
• Tech support: Someone claims there is a computer or account issue and asks for access or payment.
• Prize or lottery: You are told you won but must pay fees or taxes first.
• Investment or cryptocurrency: Promises of high returns with little risk or pressure to act quickly.
• Phishing and identity theft: Emails, texts, calls, or websites try to steal personal or financial information.
• Caregiver or family concerns: If you help manage finances for a loved one, watch for sudden changes in spending, unfamiliar contacts, unpaid bills, missing funds, or reluctance to discuss financial matters.

• Stop communicating with the suspicious person and do not send additional money or share more information.
• Report the concern to your financial professional
• Contact Thrivent immediately at 800-847-4836 and report the concern.
• Report suspected exploitation to local authorities or Adult Protective Services, if appropriate.
• Ask about available account security protections, such as additional verification or alerts.

Alert Thrivent and law enforcement to suspected or known financial exploitation. The following links include a fraud and identify theft resolution checklist.

Report fraud to Thrivent

Report fraud to law enforcement

U.S. Federal Trade Commission

U.S. Social Security Administration

AARP