The older adult population in the United States has increased dramatically in recent years and is expected to continue to increase in the years to come. Sadly, that increase has led to a corresponding increase in elder abuse. Elder abuse occurs in several forms, including physical abuse, emotional abuse, and financial exploitation. If you are the caretaker of an older person, it is imperative that you take steps to prevent elder financial exploitation. An Oklahoma City elder law attorney at Parman & Easterday offers tips to help you prevent elder financial exploitation.
Understanding Elder Financial Exploitation
Elder financial abuse, or exploitation, can be defined very broadly as illegal or improper use of an older person’s money or property. This type of elder abuse takes numerous forms and can occur under a wide variety of scenarios, including:
- Family members taking advantage of an elder person’s diminished capacity to either cajole, or outright steal, money or assets.
- A caregiver using a elder person’s money without permission or taking property from the individual’s home.
- A family member or caregiver getting an elderly individual to sign documents under false pretenses that transfer assets to the perpetrator, either now or after the elderly person’s death.
- Targeting an elderly individual for financial scams, over the telephone, through the mail, on the computer, or even in person.
Preventing Elder Financial Exploitation
Often, it is up to the adult children or other caregiver of an elderly individual to take steps to prevent financial exploitation. If that includes you, the following steps may help protect your elderly loved one:
- Discuss the subject. One of the primary reasons why older individuals make such tempting victims is the simple fact that they tend to be more trusting. In addition, they often do not understand current technology, making it easier to scam them. Sit down with your loved one and have a very frank discussion about the issue. Impress upon them that there are a seemingly endless number of ways people can be victimized in today’s electronic age and that it is always better to be safe than sorry. If they are unsure about someone or something, talk to you first.
- Do not give out personal information over the phone. Predators know that the elderly tend to be more trusting. When someone calls and says they are from the bank, for example, and older individual is much more apt to take that claim at face value than his/her younger counterpart. There may have been a time when it was safe to give out personal information over the phone; however, if there was, it is over. Never give out a social security number, bank account information, passwords, or other personal information over the phone. If someone calls claiming to be someone who might have a legitimate need for personal information, tell them you will call them back. Find the correct number and call back yourself to find out if the call was legitimate.
- Beware of social media. The reality is that older individuals typically only have a rudimentary knowledge of how most social media platforms, such as Facebook or Twitter, operate. The privacy settings, in particular, remain a mystery to the older generation. Predators are aware of this and use it to their advantage. You would be surprised at the amount of personal information a scam artist can gather just by following a victim on social media. That information is then used to run a scam. The easiest way to avoid this scam is to be vigilant about keeping privacy settings private. Doing so prevents the public from being able to see personal information.
- Be careful who is allowed inside the home. If help is needed around the house, conduct a background check on anyone allowed in the home. Do not assume that an agency has conducted a proper background check. Take the time to do one yourself to make sure the individual has the proper credentials and does not have a criminal history.
Contact an Oklahoma City Elder Law Attorney
For additional information, please join us for an upcoming FREE seminar. If you have questions or concerns about preventing financial exploitation of an older loved one, contact an experienced Oklahoma City elder law attorney at Parman & Easterday by calling 405-843-6100 to schedule your appointment today.
Victims of elder abuse frequently fail to report the abuse either out of fear that the abuser will retaliate or because they are ashamed to be a victim.
Because victims frequently remain silent, precise figures are difficult to come by; however, experts believe that more than one in 10 seniors will be the victim of elder abuse and that there are over 5 million instances of financial exploitation with a senior victim each year.
Elder abuse can be a criminal offense. It can also form the basis of a civil lawsuit against the perpetrator and/or facility.
Since founding Parman & Easterday in 1985, Larry has led over 1,000 free, community-service education programs and helped more than 10,000 Oklahoma families go from putting off their estate plan to getting it done. His goal for every client is the same: to become the person their family calls "the one who took care of everything."
Larry is the author of three books: The Straight Shooter's Guide to Estate Planning; Estate Planning Basics; and Guiding Those Left Behind in Oklahoma. He served as Oklahoma's Secretary of State and Secretary of Commerce, and his firm is the only member of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys in the state.
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