People preying on the elderly to get at their life savings, unfortunately, has become a common occurrence in today’s society. We have all heard stories about an elderly person being targeted and falling victim to an unscrupulous con artist. It is a sobering reality that everyone and their families need to prepare for as they age. When it is a family member who is suspected as the one taking advantage of their parent it puts this problem in a whole different light. What should you do if you suspect a family member of financial elder abuse?
To learn more on this topic, see the following 2023 article from AARP: What to Do If You Suspect Elder Fraud in Your Family (aarp.org). This article further explores:
- Assessing the financial threat
- Identifying the warning signs
- Minimizing the risk
- Keeping multiple people in the loop
- Asking questions
- Reporting suspected cases
IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER TO NOT IMMEDIATELY THROW ACCUSATIONS TOWARDS FAMILY MEMBERS IF THE SUSPICIONS OF FRAUD TURN OUT TO BE FALSE. THIS CAN LEAD TO BURNING BRIDGES THAT CAN NOT BE EASILY MENDED.
