HHS Blogs

Financial Exploitation and Adult Protective Services

by Natasha Pietrocola , Deputy Administrator, Adult Protective Services, Centralized Intake and Information Services

All older Americans, regardless of income, are at risk of financial abuse. Financial exploitation entails using a person's funds, property, or assets without permission or in a fraudulent manner. It accounts for over a half of elder abuse situations reported nationally.  Financial exploitation is a multi-billion-dollar problem. The financial abuse typically involves a family member or another person whom the older adult trusts, such as a friend, neighbor, or care provider. We are also seeing more and more people infiltrate the lives of older adults, earning their trust, to manipulate them into turning over financial control.

The Division of Senior and Adult Services’ Adult Protective Services (APS) unit is fortunate to partner with the County’s Department of Consumer Affairs and their Scam Squad program, which investigates scams, educates the public of existing and new scams, and provides resources to older adult who are involved in scams.

If you suspect an older adult you know is being taken advantage of financially, please call Cuyahoga County’s Adult Protective Services to make a report at 216-420-6700.

Here are a few areas to keep in mind when looking at financial exploitation:

Situations of financial exploitation commonly involve trusted persons in the life of the vulnerable adult, such as:

  • Caretakers
  • Family members
  • Neighbors
  • Friends and acquaintances
  • Attorneys
  • Bank employees
  • Pastors
  • Doctors or nurses

APS programs across the country report that the number and complexity of reports involving financial abuse of vulnerable and older adults has grown significantly over the past decade. The National Adult Protective Services Association offers extensive research that has found that elder financial exploitation is widespread, expensive, even deadly.

  • One in nine seniors reported being abused, neglected or exploited in the past twelve months; the rate of financial exploitation is extremely high, with 1 in 20 older adults indicating some form of perceived financial mistreatment occurring in the recent past.
  • Elder abuse is vastly under-reported; only one in 44 cases of financial abuse is ever reported.
  • Abused seniors are three times more likely to die and elder abuse victims are four times more likely to go into a nursing home.
  • Ninety percent of abusers are family members or trusted others.
  • Almost one in ten financial abuse victims will turn to Medicaid as a direct result of their own monies being stolen from them,
  • Cognitive impairment and the need for help with activities of daily living make victims more vulnerable to financial abuse.

Financial exploitation takes many forms. While most reports to APS involve perpetrators who are related to, or in a trusting relationship with, the victim, scams and frauds by strangers are also very common.

Common Scams by Strangers

  • Lottery and sweepstakes scams: “You’ve already won! Just send $2,500 to cover your taxes”
  • Home repair/traveling con men “We’re in your area and can coat your driveway / roof really cheaply”
  • Grandparent scams: You’re called and told your grandson is in jail and needs you to send money immediately
  • Charity scams: falsely soliciting funds for good causes; very common after disasters
  • Utility repair con men: “I’m from the utility company; I need you to come outside with me for a minute” (while accomplice steals valuables)
  • Telemarketing scams and accompanying threats
  • Money sent via telegraphs to people claiming lottery winnings

Common Scams by “Professionals”

  • Predatory Lending: seniors pressured into taking out inappropriate reverse mortgages or other loans
  • Annuity sales: the senior may be pressured into using the equity realized from a reverse mortgage (or other liquid assets) to buy an expensive annuity which may not mature until the person is well into their 90’s or over 100
  • Investment/securities schemes:pyramid schemes; unrealistic returns promised; dealer is not licensed
  • Internet phishing: false emails about bank accounts
  • Identity theft: credit cards opened fraudulently, etc.
  • Medicare scams: these are the costliest in terms of the dollar amounts

Common Ways Family Members and Trusted Others Exploit Vulnerable Adults

  • Using a Power of Attorney, given by the victim to allow another person to handle his/her finances, as a license to steal the victim’s monies for the perpetrator’s own use.
  • Taking advantage of joint bank accounts in the same way.
  • Using ATM cards and stealing checks to withdraw monies from the victim’s accounts.
  • Threatening to abandon, hit or otherwise harm the victim unless he or she gives the perpetrator what he/she wants.
  • Refusing to obtain needed care and medical services for the victim in order to keep the person’s assets available for the abuse.
  • In-home care providers charging for services; keeping change from errands, paying bills which don’t belong to the vulnerable adult, asking the vulnerable adult to sign falsified time sheets, spending their work time on the phone and not doing what they are paid to do.
  • 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.

The effects of financial exploitation on a vulnerable adult are devastating. The individual frequently experiences:

  • Loss of trust in others
  • Loss of security
  • Depression
  • Feelings of fear, shame, guilt, anger, self-doubt, remorse, worthlessness
  • Financial destitution
  • Inability to replace lost assets through employment
  • Inability to hire attorney to pursue legal protections and remedies
  • Becoming reliant on government ‘safety net’ programs
  • Inability to provide long term care needs
  • Loss of primary residence

Interventions to address financial abuse include closing joint bank accounts, having the victim revoke the power of attorney; putting in place a responsible person or agency to assist with managing the victim’s funds; and restarting utilities if they’ve been shut off.

APS often works to reduce the isolation of the victim, through putting in services, etc., which reduces his/her risk of continued abuse.  In many situations, APS refers cases to law enforcement for investigation and prosecution.

For more information, visit DSAS’ Adult Protective Services website or call 216-420-6700.  You can also visit the NAPSA website for national resources, webinars and research.

You can report alleged scams or exploitation to the Department of Consumer Affairs at  216-443-SCAM (7226) or via their online report form.