Nacha's Payments Innovation Alliance has announced the winners of its second annual Spotlight! Payments Video Challenge. Focused on the theme "Take a Stand Against Scammers," the contest awarded cash prizes for the most effective short, original videos designed to educate the public about payment fraud.
Quick Intel
Nacha's Payments Innovation Alliance announced winners of its anti-scam video challenge.
The 2025 Grand Prize of $5,000 goes to Marcius Parks for the music video "It's a Scam."
Parks also won the Sponsor's Choice Award, earning an additional $1,500.
Second Place ($2,500) and Third Place ($1,000) went to videos using narrative and humor.
The contest aims to broaden consumer education on financial scams through shareable content.
Videos highlight the severity of scams, which cost Americans $64.8B last year.
Leveraging Creativity for Consumer Education
The video challenge represents a strategic effort to combat financial fraud through accessible, consumer-facing content. By inviting creative submissions, the Alliance aims to amplify anti-scam messaging across social media, reaching a broader audience with vital educational material.
"The public at large cannot be educated enough about the emerging threats of cybersecurity, financial frauds and scams. Everyone has a role in mitigating payment-related financial scams," said Jennifer West, AAP, AFPP, APRP, Nacha Senior Director, Payments Innovation Alliance, Education and Accreditation.
2025 Winning Entries
The winning videos employed distinct creative approaches. The Grand Prize-winning entry, "It's a Scam," used a catchy musical format. Second Place winner "Spot the Signs" featured a relatable narrative about a grandparent targeted by a scam call, while Third Place winner "Puppy Love" used allegorical humor to illustrate online deception.
"These videos use humor and heartwarming images to highlight a problem that's all too serious and all too prevalent: scams being perpetrated on unsuspecting Americans," said West.
Addressing a Pervasive Threat
The contest underscores the massive scale of the scam problem, citing a Global Anti-Scam Alliance report that $64.8 billion was stolen from Americans in one year. The initiative is part of the Alliance's broader, multi-faceted work to raise awareness and develop solutions to protect consumers and the payments ecosystem.
The winning videos are intended as resources for the industry and public, serving as engaging tools to help spot and stop fraudulent activity in an increasingly digital financial landscape.
About Nacha
Nacha governs the thriving ACH Network, the payment system that drives safe, smart, and fast Direct Deposits and Direct Payments with the capability to reach all U.S. bank and credit union accounts. There were 33.6 billion ACH Network payments made in 2024, valued at $86.2 trillion. Through problem-solving and consensus-building among diverse payment industry stakeholders, Nacha advances innovation and interoperability in the payments system. Nacha develops rules and standards, provides industry solutions, and delivers education, accreditation, and advisory services.
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