Local Financial Institutions Celebrate Successful Fraud Prevention Seminar in Estherville

Bank Plus, Citizens Community Credit Union, Employees Credit Union, NorthStar Bank and Northwest Bank—together with the Estherville Police Department and Iowa Lakes Community College, are pleased to announce the success of their recent Fraud Prevention Seminar, held April 1 at Iowa Lakes Community College.

The free community event was designed to educate and empower individuals with practical tools and knowledge to safeguard their financial well-being. The seminar featured expert speakers, real-world insights, and actionable strategies aimed at helping community members recognize and prevent financial fraud.

Throughout the program, attendees learned how to identify common scams, protect online accounts, secure personal information, and respond effectively to suspicious activity. Industry professionals shared timely information on the evolving fraud landscape and provided guidance to help individuals proactively protect themselves and their finances.

This collaborative effort highlighted the participating organizations’ shared commitment to the community and their unified approach to addressing the increasing threat of financial fraud. By working together, local financial institutions, law enforcement, and education partners reinforced the importance of financial awareness and community education as key tools in fraud prevention.

Special recognition and appreciation are extended to guest speakers Jenica Lensmeyer of the Iowa Bankers Association and Bruce Lee of the Estherville Police Department. We also thank Crystal Pluth from Citizens Community Credit Union, Sara Harvey from Northwest Bank, Marilyn Soper from NorthStar Bank, JD DePyper of Iowa Lakes Community College, Mark Peters from Employees Credit Union, and Kevin Pernick from Bank Plus for serving on the panel of experts and sharing their valuable insights. Additional thanks go to Estherville Police Chief Brent Shatto for serving as emcee and leading the Q&A session.

The group also extends sincere thanks to Iowa Lakes Community College for hosting the seminar at the Janice K. Lund Performing Arts Center and for providing live‑streaming services. Appreciation is also given to media partners KILR and KUOO Radio, Estherville News, Lakes News Shopper, Armstrong Journal, Ringsted Dispatch, Swea City Herald‑Press, Bancroft Register, Graettinger Times, and Ruthven Zipcode for their support in promoting the event.

For those unable to attend, a recorded livestream of the seminar is available for viewing at: https://vcloud.hudl.com/broadcast/embed/3894936

Through initiatives like this Fraud Prevention and Awareness Seminar, Bank Plus, Citizens Community Credit Union, Employees Credit Union, NorthStar Bank, and Northwest Bank continue to demonstrate their commitment to fostering a safer, more financially informed community. For additional fraud prevention resources or information about future community events, individuals are encouraged to contact their local financial institution.