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What do I do if my elderly parent is being scammed?
You can report senior citizen scams to Adult Protective Services as well as your local police. Should you receive a call from someone posing as an IRS agent, or agent from another government agency, report it to that agency as well.
What constitutes exploitation of the elderly?
The federal Elder Justice Act, enacted in 2010, defines financial exploitation of the elderly as, “the fraudulent or otherwise illegal, unauthorized, or improper act… that uses the resources of an elder for monetary or personal benefit, profit, or gain, or that results in depriving an elder the rightful access to, or …
What is exploitation of the elderly give examples?
What is Financial Exploitation of the Elderly? Some examples include cashing an elderly person’s checks without their knowledge or permission, forging their signatures, deceiving them into signing certain documents or making withdrawals without permission from their bank account with the elderly person’s ATM card.
Who investigates elder financial abuse?
Reports of financial exploitation of vulnerable adults often involve allegations of abuse and neglect as well. APS investigates all the reported types of abuse, assesses the victim’s cognitive capacity, and takes appropriate steps to stop or mitigate the abuse to the extent possible.
What to do if a family member is being scammed?
Scams are fraud, which is illegal, so your next step should be to contact law enforcement. Start by contacting your local police department and file a police report. The police will usually assign an officer to the case who will help you fill out the police report.
How do you prosecute a scammer?
To file a complaint, just go to ftc.gov/complaint, and answer the questions. Or call That’s all there is to it. If you’ve been ripped off or scammed, complain to the Federal Trade Commission. It can help put the bad guys out of business.
How do you prove exploitation of the elderly?
To prove there was a breach by the fiduciary or someone else, one or more of the following must be proven:
- Extensive withdrawal from monetary accounts.
- Increased or changed spending habits.
- Someone added to the senior’s financial accounts.
- Unpaid health care costs or no health care.
- Changes in the senior’s estate.
How do you prove exploitation?
How do I prove financial elder abuse?
- Someone has taken property from an elderly person without their permission.
- Someone has “borrowed” money or property from an elderly person and failed to return it or pay it back.
- Someone has used fraud, coercion, or undue influence to wrongfully obtain property from an elderly person.
How do seniors protect bank accounts?
Here are a few ways you can help guard against financial exploitation:
- Immediately report abuse.
- Create a power of attorney.
- Set up a joint account.
- Name a trusted contact person.
- Use our award-winning mobile and online banking platforms to keep your account safe.
- Take steps to protect yourself.
How do you investigate financial exploitation of the elderly?
If you want to report elder financial abuse, contact your local county APS Office (PDF). Abuse reports may also be made to you local law enforcement agency.