United States Attorney
William P. Barr recently stated that crimes against the elderly target some of
the most vulnerable people in our society. Because of their stage in life, they
don't have the opportunity frequently to recover, and the losses are
devastating to them.
Whether as the result
of isolation, diminished cognition, financial insecurity, trusting too much,
being ashamed to report being scammed or concerned about how relatives will
react, serious concern for health or other causes, many of these crimes go
unreported.Information on The Federal Bureau of Investigation Site
https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-fraud-schemes/seniors
Information on The Department of
Justice Site
The video below
discusses scams and identity theft, looks at trends and gives tips and
tools with a focus on the Federal Trade Commission's Pass It On
Campaign:
Extent of elder abuse,
causes and characteristics, addressing mistreatment, financial exploration and
perpetrators:
Abuse by caregivers,
domestic violence, fraud and financial abuse, training resources and tools, and
additional information and resources: https://www.ncjrs.gov/elderabuse/
Contains prosecutor
video series, federal financial exploitation resources, rural and tribal
resources, multidisciplinary guide and toolkit, webinars for elder abuse
professionals, elder abuse statutes and elder justice resources by state: https://justice.gov/elderlyjustice
Information on The Better Business
Bureau Site
The BBB tracks reported
scams throughout the U.S.
If you become aware of
elder fraud and/or abuse, you are right to be concerned. If you SEE SOMETHING,
please SAY SOMETHING in a timely manner to law enforcement, security and/or
your supervisor, and give the authorities the chance to make a difference.
