Episode 24: Helping Young People Build Smart Financial Habits
Featured Guest
Seth Fritz
Assistant Manager of Fraud, VyStar Credit Union
Seth Fritz has worked in the financial services industry since 2016, including four years as a Branch Assistant and Operations Manager, where he developed experience in leadership, operations, risk management, and customer service. Since transitioning into Fraud in 2022, Seth has focused on detecting, preventing, and investigating fraudulent activity.
Currently, Seth serves as the Assistant Manager of Fraud, leading a team dedicated to identifying emerging fraud trends, mitigating losses, preventing fraud before it occurs, and pursuing opportunities to recover funds for both the organization and its customers. His responsibility is protecting members and the business through proactive fraud detection, effective investigations, and continuous improvement of fraud prevention strategies.
Kevin Brown
Senior School Program Advisor, VyStar Credit Union
Kevin Brown, a proud native of Jacksonville, Florida, is deeply committed to serving his community. As a School Program Advisor at VyStar Credit Union, he channels his passion for youth and financial wellness into empowering students. Beyond his professional role, Kevin extends his impact by actively participating in various opportunities dedicated to promoting goodwill and positive change within the local community.
Highlights
Early financial education is critical: learning about budgeting, managing credit, and making smart decisions sets young people up for lifelong opportunities.
The three-part financial framework for new earners: spend thoughtfully with budget limits, save with clear goals, and share by supporting causes you care about to build legacy and financial responsibility.
Understanding credit is emphasized early: students learn how easily bad credit can be accrued and the lengthy process of repairing it, along with strategies for responsibly building credit.
VyStar runs 20 school-based programs in Northeast Florida, offering students hands-on financial education, professional development, and entrepreneurial experience through its Academy of Business.
Reality fairs give students simulated life scenarios—including jobs, families, and credit scores—requiring them to make real-world financial decisions around housing, childcare, and more.
Young people are frequent scam targets since they are very active on social media, gaming sites, and digital payment platforms.
Common scams affecting youth include romance scams, online "loan" offers, fake modeling/sponsorship pitches, job scams involving fraudulent checks, and "card popping" (where scammers use a victim’s account to deposit bad checks and withdraw funds).
Gaming scams increasingly promise rare items, outfits, or in-game currency; these often require upfront payment but deliver nothing in return.
A major warning sign: being asked to send money back after depositing a check or receiving funds—this is a common scam method.
Never share sensitive info such as debit card PINs, passwords, or Social Security numbers—even with supposed employers or online acquaintances.
Peer-to-peer financial education is powerful: students often share scam warnings with each other, reinforcing lessons better than top-down adult advice.
Scams targeting youth differ from those targeting adults—while adults face fear-based or urgent scams, young people are often lured with false opportunities, free money, or exclusive benefits.
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