SHREVEPORT, La In recognition of Older Americans Month in May, Home Federal Bank (HFB), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Home Federal Bancorp, Inc. of Louisiana (NASDAQ: HFBL), is providing guidance on how to prevent financial exploitation of older adults.

Seniors are increasingly becoming targets for financial abuse said Jim Barlow, president and CEO of HFB. People over 50 years old control over 70 percent of the nation's wealth, and fraudsters are using new tactics to take advantage of the growing number of older Americans.

HFB employees are trained to identify red flags commonly associated with financial abuse, from unusual, recent withdrawals to a new person accompanying the older customer to the bank.

However, elder financial abuse is best combated when bankers and customers work together. To help older Americans protect themselves, HFB suggests following these tips:

Keep personal information private. Never share your social security number, account information, or personal details over the phone or internet, unless you initiated contact with a trusted source.

Shred! Shred! Shred! Shred receipts, bank statements and unused credit card offers before throwing them away so fraudsters can™t piece together your personal information.

Don™t let a so-called advisor pressure you. Never let a new or untrusted advisor pressure you into sharing personal or financial details. He or she could be a fraudster.

Check your credit report. Customers should check their credit report at least one a year to ensure no new credit cards or accounts have been opened by criminals in your name. To receive a free copy of your credit report from each of the three credit reporting agencies, visit the Federal Trade Commission™s website at annualcreditreport.com, or call 1-877-322-8228.

Never rush into a financial decision. Ask for details in writing and get a second opinion from a trusted financial advisor or attorney before signing any document you don™t understand.

Home Federal Bancorp, Inc. of Louisiana is the holding company for Home Federal Bank which conducts business from its five full-service banking offices and one commercial lending agency office in northwest Louisiana. HFB is a full-service community bank committed to providing an unparalleled level of personal service while helping customers meet all their financial needs. Additional information is available at www.hfbla.com.

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Released by: Emily T. Price, Assistant VP / Home Federal / 318.841.5394 / emily.price@hfbla.com