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Equity Access Group highlights financial abuse risks to seniors on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (June 15), noting that older Americans lose an estimated $36.5 billion annually to financial scams and exploitation. The company emphasizes warning signs of financial abuse—including pressure to sign documents quickly, sudden involvement of new individuals in finances, and unexplained withdrawals—and implements protective measures such as mandatory HUD-approved counseling, staff training to identify manipulation, and personal follow-up with all reverse mortgage applicants to ensure borrower safety.

The Federal Trade Commission estimated criminals stole $61.5 billion from adults age 60 and over in 2023, with financial abuse coming from both known perpetrators like family members and strangers carrying out scams. To prevent elder financial exploitation, AARP recommends adding trusted contacts to financial accounts, freezing credit to prevent unauthorized accounts, and using robocall and text message blockers to reduce exposure to phone-based scams. Victims should report scams to local law enforcement or contact AARP's Fraud Watch Network at 1-877-908-3360.

The Alabama Securities Commission reported a record 200 elder fraud cases since January, with women aged 71-90 being disproportionately affected, and identified social isolation as a key vulnerability factor that scammers exploit during periods of grief or health crises. Fraudsters use social media information and infiltrate senior groups to build trust, with exploitation ranging from online romance scams to financial abuse by family members and caregivers. The ASC recommends maintaining regular contact with seniors, adding "trusted contacts" to financial accounts, and sharing fraud awareness information to reduce vulnerability to these increasingly sophisticated schemes.

Vietnam veteran Leroy Theodore, Sr., a quadriplegic stroke survivor, became the subject of a guardianship dispute after St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa initiated efforts to obtain legal control of his finances and medical decisions in April 2024, despite his daughter Valerie Parks holding power of attorney and having been cleared of neglect allegations by Adult Protective Services in March. The hospital and state denied the family access to Theodore for 1.5 months while competing guardianship claims were filed in two different courts, raising concerns that Theodore's case exemplifies a growing nationwide pattern of guardianship fraud targeting vulnerable elderly patients for financial gain.

Family members can commit financial fraud against seniors in retirement, with red flags including unusual account activity, missing valuables, suspicious signatures, and unauthorized changes to wills or powers of attorney. Experts recommend protecting yourself through estate planning, forming a trusted financial care team, automating bill payments, securing personal information, obtaining legal documents like powers of attorney and wills, and implementing dual signatures or co-trustees to prevent any single person from having complete financial control.

Older adults are vulnerable to financial fraud from family members and trusted individuals, not just external scammers. Experts recommend protecting against family financial abuse by establishing a trusted team to oversee finances, automating bill payments, monitoring accounts regularly, organizing legal documents (power of attorney, wills), requiring dual signatures for major transactions, and watching for red flags such as unusual financial activity, missing valuables, and unauthorized account changes.

Scammers are creating fake Facebook profiles posing as family members to share fraudulent links to virtual funeral livestreams or donation pages, charging victims £10 or requesting donations that never provide access to genuine services. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute reports this scam has circulated for two years across the UK and Ireland, targeting high-profile deaths and exploiting grieving individuals who often don't report the fraud due to embarrassment or concern for the bereaved family. Legitimate funeral directors never charge for livestreaming, and victims should verify any links directly with the funeral director or family before providing payment or personal information.

Reality TV personality Vicki Gunvalson faces a financial elder abuse lawsuit from 74-year-old client Diane Field, who alleges that Gunvalson and her business partner at Coto Insurance and Financial Services mismanaged Field's $6 million estate by recommending unsuitable life insurance and annuity investments that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars more than promised. Gunvalson has demanded a jury trial (expected to last 7-10 days) and denies all allegations, claiming she acted with the client's consent and in her best interest. The case is ongoing.

The Health 2.0 Conference highlighted healthcare fraud as a rapidly growing threat targeting seniors, who are vulnerable due to complex medical needs, digital disadvantages, and social isolation that scammers exploit through fake insurance plans, Medicare billing fraud, telehealth scams, and spoofed portals. Healthcare providers, policymakers, and innovators are urged to implement intelligent systems and vigilance to detect red flags such as unexpected charges and unfamiliar providers to protect this vulnerable population.

Financial exploitation costs seniors an estimated $27 billion annually and can occur through theft by family members, caregivers, or scammers. Key prevention strategies include monitoring bank and credit accounts regularly, protecting personal financial information, carefully selecting powers of attorney, reviewing credit reports, taking time with major financial decisions, and remaining alert to common scams like grandparent fraud and fake check schemes. Additional protections include registering with the Do Not Call Registry, avoiding unsolicited deposit requests, and limiting personal information shared on social media.

The Central Alabama Aging Consortium's Ombudsman Program held its annual Elder Justice Fraud and Caregiver Conference on July 17 to educate professionals and caregivers about identifying and preventing elder abuse and fraud. Over 1,200 Alabama seniors report being victims of elder fraud annually, resulting in losses exceeding $17 million per year, with 10% of seniors nationwide experiencing fraud victimization yearly. The conference featured experts in financial exploitation, elder law, and protective services who provided tools and resources for professionals to assist fraud victims and prevent future incidents.

In 2024, seniors aged 65 and older reported nearly $4.9 billion in losses to financial scams—a 43% increase from the previous year—with Texas seniors alone filing over 9,473 complaints averaging $489,000 in losses each. Seniors are targeted because they control significant national wealth and often struggle to keep pace with technology, making them vulnerable to romance scams, tech support scams, grandparent scams, government impersonation, and investment fraud. Family members and caregivers can help protect seniors by monitoring account activity, maintaining open communication about financial matters, and encouraging consultation before large transactions, while laws like the 2017 Elder Abuse Prevention

**Rental Fraud Overview** Young people account for three-quarters of rental fraud cases, with approximately £9 million lost across 5,000 reported incidents last year. Scammers typically pose as landlords on low-cost listing sites and social media, offering cheap properties and requesting deposits before viewings, using tactics like fake videos and artificial urgency to pressure victims into payment. **Key Prevention Advice:** Never pay deposits without viewing the property in person, verify landlord credentials and ownership proof, scrutinize profile creation dates and multiple similar listings, and trust instincts when details seem suspicious.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police's Crime Branch registered three separate cases against fraudsters who duped job seekers of approximately Rs 1.50 crore through employment scams. The accused—including Ajay Kumar (who impersonated a Secretariat official and defrauded six victims of Rs 1.06 crore), suspended teacher Jameel Anjum (who posed as a PA to high officials and defrauded nine victims of Rs 39 lakhs, with this being his 11th FIR), and Iftikhar Ali and Nazir Ali (accused of defrauding one victim)—targeted vulnerable youth with false promises of government

The Senior Community Center of Owensboro-Daviess County hosted a free educational program on elder exploitation, abuse, and neglect awareness, prompted by a recent local case involving financial exploitation of an elderly man through pawned items, fraudulent bank transactions, and forged documents. Law enforcement and Adult Protective Services officials emphasized that scams are the most common form of elder exploitation, with growing sophistication through artificial intelligence, and stressed the importance of community vigilance and regular engagement with elderly loved ones to prevent such crimes.

A woman's Instagram account was hijacked and used to advertise fake Oasis concert tickets, resulting in £1,400 stolen from her friends who believed they were purchasing genuine tickets from her. The scammers impersonated her to spread the fraud and demanded £100 to return account access, while Instagram refused to recognize the account as compromised. The incident reflects a broader trend of ticket fraud, with UK Oasis fans losing over £2 million to fraudsters by March 2025, and experts recommend using two-factor authentication to prevent similar account compromises.

**AInvest Newsletter - Financial Exploitation of Elderly Investors** Adults over 60 reported $4.885 billion in losses to financial exploitation in 2024, a 46% increase from 2023, with 147,127 complaints filed to the FBI's IC3, though actual cases are estimated to be 43 times higher than reported. Elderly investors face exploitation through two main vulnerabilities: undue influence (emotional manipulation by caregivers or advisors) and inadequate estate planning, with a 2024 NAPSA study finding 68% of exploited seniors had no prior cognitive decline but were compromised by dependency relationships. The article recomm

The Ocala/Marion County Mobile Integrated Senior Crisis Response Team, a collaborative effort of over 20 local agencies, was presented to Florida State Senator Darryl Rouson as an effective model for addressing non-law enforcement crises affecting seniors. The team addresses issues including elder exploitation, dementia-related wandering, hoarding, and financial fraud, while reducing excessive 911 calls and avoiding service duplication. Since its organization began in 2020 by Marion Senior Services, the team has provided unified care coordination and rapid response for seniors experiencing mental health crises, exploitation, and other supportive care needs.

Financial elder abuse is the most common form of elder abuse in Canada, affecting approximately 10% of seniors annually, often perpetrated by trusted family members and occurring subtly over extended periods through manipulation of wills, powers of attorney, and financial documents. Protection strategies include creating clear legal documents such as powers of attorney (which can be set to activate only upon incapacity) and wills that designate trustees, potentially using professional corporate executors rather than family members to reduce the risk of abuse.

A 33-year-old in-home caregiver employed by Lilies of Hope Health Agency was arrested on multiple felony charges including exploitation of an elderly adult, uttering forged endorsements, and obtaining property by false pretense after the victim's daughter discovered three forged checks and missing prescription medications. The caregiver, Victoria Lowery, was taken into custody in Red Springs and later bonded out, with a court date scheduled for September. The specific dollar amounts involved in the check fraud were not disclosed in the report.

Five people in Craven County, North Carolina were formally charged with a total of 139 felonies in connection with a financial exploitation scheme targeting an elderly couple that began in November 2023, with two of the suspects serving as in-home caregivers to the victims. The charges include identity theft, forgery, larceny, fraud, and elder exploitation, with lead suspect Ashley Berry facing 90 felony counts. Police urge family members and caregivers to monitor for financial exploitation involving in-home caregivers and contact Adult Protective Services with any suspicious activity.

A Durham County caregiver bonded out on charges of exploiting her client through check fraud, exemplifying a broader trend of financial abuse by caregivers targeting vulnerable adults. The article documents multiple cases including a nurse who stole a patient's identity, a caregiver who used an elderly woman's financial information to make thousands in unauthorized transactions, and a healthcare company operator sentenced to 17 years for a $500,000 Medicare fraud scheme. The AARP reports over 369,000 annual incidents of financial abuse against older adults in the U.S., with experts recommending background checks, financial monitoring, secure document storage, and requiring receipts to protect vulnerable individuals in care.

From 2014 to June 2025, cybercriminals in New Delhi defrauded residents of Rs 1,487.37 crore through increasingly sophisticated online scams targeting elderly pensioners, traders, and young adults via fake bank messages, bogus payment confirmations, and fraudulent investment platforms. Losses surged dramatically to a record Rs 817.65 crore in 2024 alone, with cybercriminals employing deepfakes, counterfeit websites, and AI-generated content to impersonate trusted institutions. While authorities have established response measures including dedicated cyber police stations and a national reporting portal, experts stress that public awareness and vigilance remain the most effective

TARCOG is hosting a free Fraud and Scam Summit in Athens, Alabama to educate seniors, caregivers, and professionals about recognizing and preventing scams, which cost Americans nearly $5 billion annually. The event features experts from law enforcement and the Alabama Securities Commission discussing common fraud tactics, identity theft prevention, and reporting procedures, with particular focus on romance scams as the fastest-growing threat targeting vulnerable seniors. Attendees can register on the waiting list by contacting TARCOG at 256-830-0818, and resources will be available online for those unable to attend.

83-year-old real estate developer Walter Bowen sued his former senior vice president Barclay Grayson for elder abuse, alleging Grayson used Bowen's signature stamp to sign personal guarantees and loan documents without authorization, and misappropriated $250,000 of a $1.1 million improvement allowance intended for condo renovations. Bowen, who hired Grayson in 2003 despite Grayson's prior prison sentence for mail fraud, fired him in July 2024 and filed suit for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and financial abuse of a vulnerable person; the complaint also implicated the

Actor John Amos' daughter Shannon sued her brother Kelly Christopher Amos, former caretaker Belinda Foster, and associate Eugene Brummett for elder abuse, fraud, and wrongful death, alleging that starting around 2019, K.C. Amos systematically isolated their father, manipulated him into signing new wills and trusts that gave K.C. near-complete control of the estate, and neglected his medical needs—resulting in hospitalizations including treatment for a maggot infection. The petition claims John Amos, who died in 2024 of natural causes, was kept in unsafe conditions with improperly administered medications, and seeks to freeze the

RangersAI announced two new features in its ScamRanger app to combat elder fraud and scams: Guardian Mode, which allows vulnerable users to designate trusted contacts who receive scam alerts and can provide support, and a WhatsApp Agent that delivers real-time scam detection directly within WhatsApp. The app detects over 130 scam types across SMS, email, and chat platforms, addressing a global scam crisis exceeding $1 trillion in losses annually.

Financial exploitation of older adults is rising at epidemic rates through scams, family manipulation, and digital illiteracy, with the FBI reporting over 100,000 victims age 60+ in 2023 and total losses exceeding $3 billion (averaging $35,000 per person). Older adults are particularly vulnerable due to trust, isolation from face-to-face interaction, and a digital divide, with those age 80+ suffering the highest median losses. Common schemes include tech support, grandparent scams, government impersonation, romance scams, and increasingly sophisticated AI-generated voice clones, while many cases go unreported due to shame or involvement of trusted family members

A Nashville caregiver, Eric Scott, was arrested in May following a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation inquiry into the financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult under his care. Scott allegedly used the victim's bank card and personal information between May 26-27 to make fraudulent withdrawals and purchases. He was charged with theft over $1,000, fraudulent use of a credit card over $1,000, identity theft, and financial exploitation of a vulnerable person over $1,000, with bond set at $17,500.

Romance scams targeting older adults have surged 52% among people over 55, with victims aged 75-84 losing an average of £8,068 each compared to £5,219 across all age groups. Scammers use fake dating and social media profiles to build emotional connections, then request money for emergencies like medical bills or travel expenses, often avoiding video calls or in-person meetings with elaborate excuses. Key prevention strategies include staying on monitored messaging platforms, consulting trusted friends and family before sending money, and never transferring funds to someone met only online.

A scammer's attempt to fraudulently obtain a reverse mortgage on an elderly Ohio homeowner's property was prevented by EquityProtect's SmartPolicy fraud prevention technology, which flagged the unauthorized loan request and alerted the homeowner's daughter who held Power of Attorney. The incident illustrates growing financial crime targeting seniors, with the FBI reporting $4.88 billion in losses from 147,127 elder fraud complaints in 2024, a 46% increase in complaints year-over-year.

A scammer attempted to defraud an elderly Ohio homeowner by convincing him to take out a reverse mortgage to steal his home equity, but the scheme was foiled when EquityProtect's Property Title Lock service detected the unauthorized loan application and notified the homeowner's daughter, who held Power of Attorney over the property. The incident highlights growing financial crimes against seniors, with the FBI reporting $4.88 billion in losses from 147,127 elder fraud complaints in 2024, a 46% increase from the previous year.

Aberystwyth University, Dyfed-Powys Police, and PEGS launched a new guide to combat technology-enabled abuse of people over 60, which includes monitoring via smart devices, mobile tracking, and unauthorized access to accounts. The guide, based on police data and case studies, reveals that 14% of older parents supported by PEGS experienced digital abuse from family members, with one case involving £20,000 stolen through unauthorized smartphone access and another involving stalking via fake social media profiles and Ring doorbell cameras. Between May 2024 and April 2025, over 950 domestic abuse cases involving older victims were reported in Dyfed-Powys

Patricia Linda-Ahono, nursing director at Crystal Lake Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in New Jersey, was indicted in July 2025 on charges including aggravated assault, neglect of an elderly or disabled adult, and falsifying records for physically assaulting a resident with a broom on June 24, 2023. The assault was captured on video, and Ahono allegedly attempted to cover up the incident by filing a false incident report claiming the resident had a weapon and by instructing staff not to contact authorities or notify state agencies as required.

Patricia Linda-Ahono, a nursing director at Crystal Lake Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in New Jersey, was indicted in July 2025 on charges including aggravated assault, neglect of an elderly or disabled adult, and falsifying records after she allegedly struck a resident with a broom on June 24, 2023, causing bleeding injuries. The incident was recorded on video by a nurse, but Lindo-Ahono allegedly falsified the incident report by claiming the resident had a weapon and misrepresenting the date; she also allegedly instructed staff not to contact police and later attempted to coach a witness to deny knowledge of the event. The charges reflect both the physical assault and the

**Scam Type:** Fraudulent driving license scheme Fraudsters operating on social media platforms (primarily WhatsApp and TikTok) are charging victims £500-£850 to obtain fake UK driving licenses by falsely claiming they have staff inside the DVLA and DVSA who will bypass testing requirements. Victims lose an average of £244, with losses doubling year-over-year according to TSB Bank data, and those caught with counterfeit licenses face up to 10 years imprisonment; the DVLA and DVSA have confirmed no legitimate staff are involved and the promised documents are counterfeit.