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A Michigan man and woman were charged with financially exploiting an 87-year-old Rochester Hills resident through fraudulent power of attorney, with one defendant embezzling over $400,000 and the other stealing thousands through unauthorized checks. A Michigan State University study in rural communities found that preventative training for family caregivers and seniors, combined with caseworker follow-up visits, effectively empowers people to identify and prevent financial exploitation of older adults. Michigan reports increasing financial exploitation cases, with over 4,000 referrals in fiscal year 2024, and research shows that even basic community education can raise awareness and help prevent elder fraud.

An elderly widow lost approximately $8.4 million over four years when her son, Brett Thomas Graham—a securities industry-barred individual—moved money from her accounts at multiple financial firms (JPMorgan Securities, Schwab, and Francis Financial) without proper detection or intervention. The woman, who had memory loss and was living in assisted care, had invested nearly $9 million from the sale of her Upper East Side townhouse, but the financial institutions failed to implement adequate safeguards such as flagging suspicious large withdrawals, conducting proper due diligence, or contacting trusted family members to verify the transactions. Her family only discovered the fraud after she was evicted from her assiste

Medicine Hat is experiencing rising reports of scams targeting seniors, including the Grandparent Scam, romance scams, and phishing schemes, with 78% of adults aged 65 and older having encountered at least one fraud attempt. The Veiner Centre partnered with Reality Bytes Inc. to offer a February 13 presentation on identifying and preventing fraud, and highlighted its Elder Abuse Outreach team that provides assessment, support, and case management to seniors experiencing financial abuse, some of whom have lost their life savings.

The Napa County District Attorney's Office is training bank employees to identify and report suspicious transactions targeting seniors, as fraud against elderly clients continues to rise. The initiative focuses on recognizing red flags such as unusual large withdrawals, requests for cashier's checks, and transactions initiated by accompanying third parties—common tactics in lottery scams where victims are deceived into sending thousands of dollars in "good faith" money. One case illustrates the program's potential impact: a bank clerk prevented a man from wiring $10,000 to Canada after he revealed he believed he had won a foreign lottery, while another victim lost $13,000 before the perpetrators were arrested and ordered to repay her.

This article is an educational piece for estate planning practitioners on protecting vulnerable clients from elder financial exploitation. The article advises practitioners to first ensure their own cybersecurity and document security measures are adequate, then implement firm-wide policies to recognize and prevent elder exploitation, including staff training to identify "procurement" schemes where beneficiaries control client access and educating aging clients about securing sensitive documents through digitization and secure storage. Key recommendations include developing protocols for suspected exploitation, obtaining trusted contact information, and incorporating security discussions into estate planning conversations to address risks from identity theft, document loss, and abuse.

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Affinity fraud, where trusted community members exploit personal relationships to promote fraudulent investments, poses a particular risk in Utah's tight-knit communities, with seniors targeted due to their retirement savings. Red flags include unlicensed sellers, pressure for quick investment decisions, unrealistic return promises, and lack of written documentation. The Utah Division of Securities is combating this through enhanced penalties and educational programs like "Knights of Scamalot," which now emphasizes senior fraud awareness.

An 80-year-old woman named Ngoc in Phan Thiet, Vietnam lost her entire life savings of VND3 billion (approximately US$117,000) to an elaborate prize-drawing scam between June 2023 and January 2024. Scammers posing as employees of a non-existent "Perfect Southeast Asia Joint Venture Shopping Center" convinced her to purchase hundreds of items at inflated prices (4-10 times their actual value) by promising high-value prizes and lucky draw codes, instructing her not to open packages; when she requested pickup of the goods in January 2024, the scammers took 36 items an

In 2024, Michigan residents reported $204 million in fraud losses—a dramatic increase from $60 million in 2020—with an 84-year-old woman losing $40,000 to a man posing as a bank employee serving as one documented case. Scams targeting older adults have diversified to include impersonation, extortion, investment fraud, tech-support schemes, and cryptocurrency fraud, with crypto scams alone affecting Michigan seniors at growing rates (141 instances in 2022 vs. 262 in 2023, with losses rising from $14 million to $24 million). AARP Michigan is responding with fraud prevention education sessions, document sh

Research identifies loneliness and financial fragility as the two most significant risk factors for elder financial fraud victimization. Socially isolated individuals are more vulnerable to relationship-based scams (romance, pig-butchering, affinity fraud) because they lack trusted contacts to validate suspicious offers, while financial stress impairs rational decision-making and increases willingness to take risky financial gambles that fraudsters exploit.

Older Australians are disproportionately targeted by scams, accounting for 31% of losses reported to Scamwatch despite representing only 17% of the population. CommBank's "Talk to a Loved One" campaign encourages families to have open conversations about scams to raise awareness and reduce vulnerability, though research shows only 8% of Australians feel comfortable discussing their own scam experiences with family members despite 90% believing such discussions are important. The campaign recommends using the "Stop. Check. Reject." approach and highlights that confidence in recognizing scams drops from 33% for those under 60 to just over 20% for those over 60.

AARP offers Dr. Virginia Vincenti, a University of Wyoming professor with over a decade of research experience in elder abuse and financial exploitation, as a speaker for community events. Dr. Vincenti delivers presentations on recognizing abuse warning signs, understanding vulnerability factors, and implementing protective legal measures through power-of-attorney documents and wills. Her research-based, compassionate approach is designed to help seniors, caregivers, and professionals prevent financial exploitation and elder abuse.

Sharon Gardner, 59, of Rumford, Maine, was arrested for abusing and financially exploiting an elderly family member whom she served as primary caregiver, dividing over $1,000 from the victim's account and repeatedly using their debit card without authorization while restricting their outside contact. She was charged with two Class C felonies (endangering the welfare of a dependent person and theft by unauthorized taking or transfer) and one Class D misdemeanor (misuse of identification), with the investigation remaining active and additional charges possible.

Scammers increasingly use identity theft and impersonation via messaging apps (WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram DMs, iMessage) to pose as friends or relatives in distress and request urgent money transfers. The Spanish National Police recommend a simple verification tactic: ask the suspicious contact a personal question only a real acquaintance would know, such as "Where did we meet?" to confirm their identity before responding to money requests. This basic security question can effectively prevent victims from falling for these emotionally manipulative scams that exploit goodwill across messaging platforms worldwide.

Briauna Michelle Powell of Stone Mountain was charged with multiple counts of identity fraud and elder exploitation after allegedly using her position as a home health assistant to access elderly clients' personal information. Investigators believe Powell may have victimized multiple seniors and are seeking the public's help to identify additional victims and fraudulent activity.

This educational guide explores the intersection of fraud and mental health, examining how the prevalence of scams—which cost Americans over $12 billion in 2024—creates psychological stress and constant vigilance in daily life. The article discusses how exposure to fraud, whether direct or indirect, can lead to anxiety, distrust, and destabilizing uncertainty, particularly as scammers increasingly use deceptive text messages, emails, and phone calls to target victims through romance scams, impersonation schemes, and fake job offers. The piece emphasizes the importance of protecting one's digital identity and provides strategies for managing the mental health impacts of living in an environment where fraudulent threats are pervasive and often difficult to distinguish

Scam Jam 2025, held on April 30 at Northern Virginia Community College, brought together hundreds of experts in elder abuse prevention, law enforcement, and protective services to share information on safeguarding older adults from fraud and exploitation. The event featured keynote speaker Paul Greenwood, a former San Diego district attorney with experience prosecuting over 750 elder abuse cases, and screened a film highlighting Adult Protective Services efforts in protecting vulnerable populations. The annual conference, organized by AARP Virginia and Fairfax County's Silver Shield Anti-Scam Campaign, emphasized prevention, protection, and prosecution as key strategies for elder safety.

An 83-year-old Nebraska woman lost over $14,000 in a "smishing" (text message scam), exemplifying a growing crisis where Americans aged 60+ lost $4.9 billion to scams in 2024, averaging $83,000 per case. Social isolation significantly increases seniors' vulnerability to fraud, as those with limited in-person contact are more likely to conduct transactions online and engage with scammers. The Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance recommends preventing financial exploitation through regular contact with older relatives, educating seniors about common fraud tactics, and reporting suspected fraud to authorities through their "Make Cents Make Sense" initiative.

An 82-year-old retired urban planner named Brian Ketcham lost significant money to romance scammers on the dating website Dream Singles, communicating with profiles of women (primarily one named "Vasilisa") who likely did not exist in real life. After his death in 2024, his children discovered hundreds of printed chat transcripts and documented evidence of the scheme, which required him to purchase credits for each message sent to the fake profiles. The article explores how his initial skepticism gradually eroded as the scammers built emotional connections with him, ultimately resulting in financial loss before his death.

Ray, a 78-year-old retired tradesman, was financially abused by his son Peter over seven years, during which Peter stole over $152,000 in redirected pension payments and fraudulently obtained an additional $78,000 in loans using Ray's name. Peter manipulated his father by controlling his finances through a MyGov account, providing Ray with only meager allowances while creating fake government correspondence and impersonating officials to conceal the theft. Peter was eventually convicted and sentenced to four years in prison, with Ray's case highlighting the need for stronger institutional safeguards, such as direct verification with pension recipients before payment redirections, to prevent similar family-based financial abuse.

Americans lost an estimated $47 billion to scams in 2024, with investment fraud accounting for at least $5.7 billion of those losses. Contrary to common assumptions, younger adults are 34% more likely than older adults to fall victim to fraud, which takes multiple forms including impostor scams using AI voice cloning, lottery/prize schemes, and phishing attempts. To protect yourself, watch for red flags such as unsolicited contact, pressure to act quickly, promises of guaranteed returns, unusual payment requests, and demands for login credentials—and always independently verify investment opportunities through official resources like the SEC's EDGAR database before committing funds.

Alameda County's Adult and Aging Services is hosting a "Scam Jam" event on June 16th to help older adults protect themselves against increasingly sophisticated digital scams targeting seniors. The free community event at the San Leandro Senior Community Center will feature expert presenters from state agencies, consumer protection organizations, and high school students whose family members were scam victims. Older adults 60 and over can register via QR code or by calling (510) 577-3463 to learn how to recognize and prevent elder fraud.

In July 2023, Priscilla Presley, then 77, filed a lawsuit claiming she was defrauded of over $1 million by Florida memorabilia dealer Brigitte Kruse through a "meticulously planned" elder-abuse scheme involving unconscionable contracts that gave Kruse control of her finances and publicity rights. A newly surfaced video from a January 2023 document-signing session shows Presley stating she had not read the contracts and appeared to trust Kruse, though she also confirmed signing of her own free will—evidence that complicates both sides' legal arguments in this ongoing contentious dispute.

This article outlines six common scams targeting users of peer-to-peer payment platforms like Venmo, Cash App, and Zelle, including impersonation of trusted contacts, fake "accidental" payments designed to exploit goodwill, fraudulent sellers and buyers using stolen payment methods, fake contest winnings, and impersonation of customer support teams. According to Pew Research, 13% of P2P payment app users have sent money to scammers, affecting millions of users across platforms with 92 million active users on Venmo alone. The key prevention strategies are to verify recipient identity before sending money, report unexpected payments from strangers immediately without cashing out

This article describes seven prevalent scams on social media targeting users: fake shop accounts, phishing scams with malicious links, fake giveaways, investment scams promising high returns, romance scams, impersonation scams, and charity scams exploiting crises. The article advises users to verify sources, avoid clicking unsolicited links, use strong passwords with two-factor authentication, and stay educated about evolving fraud tactics to protect themselves and report suspicious activity to platforms.

Priscilla Presley, 80, sued memorabilia dealer Brigitte Kruse for financial elder abuse, alleging Kruse gained her trust, isolated her from advisors, and manipulated her into signing away up to 80% of her earnings—totaling over $1 million. Kruse filed a countersuit claiming she was hired to rescue Presley from financial ruin and is owed compensation, while Presley's legal team describes her as a "con artist" who exploited her vulnerability following her daughter Lisa Marie's death in January 2023. The high-profile case highlights vulnerabilities facing elderly individuals, particularly wealthy and prominent figures, to financial exploitation through

A June 2024 Sacramento County Grand Jury report found that elder financial abuse cases have surged in the county, with Adult Protective Services confirming nearly 4,000 cases between 2019 and 2024, yet over 97% went unprosecuted due to inadequate staffing, poor data systems, and lack of specialized training in law enforcement and the District Attorney's Office. The report identified that perpetrators are typically trusted individuals (caregivers, family members, or advisors) in over 72% of cases, creating emotional barriers to reporting, and recommended increased funding for investigators, prosecutors, victim advocates, and specialized social workers to address the growing problem as Sacramento County's senior

The Federal Trade Commission estimated that criminals stole approximately $61.5 billion from adults age 60 and over in 2023, with elder financial abuse coming from both known perpetrators and stranger scams. AARP highlights preventive measures including adding trusted contacts to financial accounts, freezing credit to prevent unauthorized accounts, and using robocall/text blockers to reduce exposure to phone-based scams. The article emphasizes that these proactive steps can significantly protect older adults' financial security.

Ohio's Department of Job and Family Services and Department of Aging marked World Elder Abuse Awareness Month in June 2025, highlighting that local agencies receive over 100 adult protective services referrals daily and that one in 10 seniors nationally experience some form of elder abuse. The state provided information on recognizing warning signs of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse as well as financial exploitation and neglect, with resources including an awareness campaign and a hotline (1-855-OHIO-APS) for reporting suspected abuse.

Ohio's Department of Job and Family Services and Department of Aging are using June's World Elder Abuse Awareness Month to encourage residents to recognize signs of elder abuse and learn reporting procedures. The awareness initiative aims to help protect seniors by increasing community vigilance and knowledge about how to identify and report suspected abuse.

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.

Centre County reported over 350 cases of elder abuse in 2024, a five-fold increase over the past decade, with financial exploitation now surpassing self-neglect as the most commonly reported abuse type. Sophisticated scams using AI-generated deepfakes, voice spoofing, and impersonation have stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars from local seniors, with statewide estimates between $260 million and $2.1 billion stolen from Pennsylvania residents over 60 in 2022. The Centre County Office of Aging is hosting educational initiatives and encouraging victims to report scams to local law enforcement to prevent further exploitation.

Financial abuse is the most common form of elder abuse in Canada, with experts warning of rising vulnerability as the country's aging population holds over $1.1 trillion in assets. While digital scams targeting seniors are increasing, the greater threat comes from trusted individuals—family members, friends, and those with power of attorney—who exploit their positions, with approximately 81 percent of reported cases perpetrated by someone the victim knows. Seniors with cognitive decline, women, and those from marginalized communities face heightened risk, and many victims remain silent to avoid disrupting family relationships.

In observance of World Elder Abuse Day, the IRS Criminal Investigation Field Office in Atlanta highlighted that millions of seniors are victimized annually by financial scammers who exploit their trust, with the FBI reporting that seniors lost $8.4 billion to scams in 2024. The IRS provided information on common schemes targeting older adults, including romance scams, lottery scams, government imposter scams, grandparent scams, and tech support scams, and encouraged oversight of seniors' finances by multiple trusted individuals. Resources for fraud prevention and reporting include the National Elder Fraud Hotline (1-833-372-8311), the FBI's Internet Crime Center, the Pass It On

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.

A 72-year-old Ohio surgeon lost $1 billion to a romance scam involving a fake Ukrainian model within one month of his wife's death, while in New Delhi, a woman lost Rs 5 lakh ($6,000) when scammers impersonated her phone service provider during a family medical crisis. Globally, seniors lost $4.8 billion to cyber fraud in 2024 (US), with India projected to lose Rs 1.2 lakh crore ($14.4 billion) in 2025, driven by psychological manipulation that exploits neurobiological changes in aging brains, cultural conditioning toward authority and politeness, and widesprea

In recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, the U.S. Department of Justice announced reinvigorated prosecutorial efforts against transnational and domestic elder fraud schemes that cost seniors billions of dollars annually, highlighting recent cases involving romance fraud, lottery fraud, tech support fraud, and grandparent scams. A notable Montana case resulted in the arrest of a man involved in an India-based scheme impersonating U.S. Marshals that defrauded an elderly victim of over $1 million. The DOJ emphasizes the importance of community vigilance, victim restitution efforts, and encourages seniors and their families to contact the free National Elder Fraud Hotline for assistance with

Montgomery County held a World Elder Abuse Awareness Day event highlighting scams targeting seniors, including tech support impersonation, government impostor schemes, and gold bar frauds. Maryland reported 1,385 complaints of tech support and government imposter scams in 2024 with nearly $30 million in losses—up 41% in complaints and 15% in losses over three years—while 84% of financial exploitation perpetrators were family members. Officials emphasized prevention through account monitoring, power of attorney transparency, and assertiveness in refusing suspicious requests, noting that recovery of scammed funds is rarely possible.

A Queensland parliamentary inquiry heard testimony from Tara Brussell about her father's experience with elder abuse during his marriage breakdown, in which his ex-wife and her family allegedly depleted his pension and superannuation, leaving him with $4, while denying his financial contributions to their shared property. Brussell criticized the inadequacy of the elder abuse hotline and called for more comprehensive support services. The inquiry, which has been examining elder abuse across Queensland since February, heard from experts that one in six older people experience elder abuse—often perpetrated by family members—and that reporting rates remain low due to shame and family dynamics, with recommendations for holistic centralized services, improved education, and better monitoring of cases

This educational piece highlights that approximately 1 in 10 seniors experiences elder abuse, with Ohio alone receiving over 40,000 abuse referrals in the past year. The Franklin County Office of Aging director emphasizes the importance of recognizing warning signs to protect vulnerable seniors during World Elder Abuse Awareness Month.

According to the FBI's annual internet crime report, seniors lost nearly $5 billion to scams last year and are disproportionately targeted by scammers who view them as wealthy, not feeble-minded. The article identifies two major red flags for potential scams: feeling panicked and experiencing pressure to make fast decisions, and recommends that seniors slow down, create mental space to think, and independently verify claims before acting. Various protective services and apps have been developed to help seniors guard against financial exploitation.

This educational resource presents a chart detailing common scams targeting consumers, including AI scams (deepfake impersonations), bank text scams (phishing for account information), billing/invoice scams (fake invoices demanding payment), brushing scams (unsolicited items to boost reviews), and charity scams. The guide identifies shared scammer tactics such as impersonation, creating urgency, and pressuring victims to share personal information, while offering specific identification and prevention strategies for each scam type. The material encourages sharing this information with friends and family as a primary defense against fraud.

Seniors lost nearly $5 billion to scams last year and remain prime targets due to their concentrated wealth, according to the FBI. The article identifies five red flags indicating a potential scam: feeling panicked, pressure to make fast decisions, unsolicited contact, requests for personal information, and reluctance to verify claims—noting that scammers rely on emotional manipulation and time pressure to override victims' judgment. Experts advise pausing to think critically when experiencing these warning signs, as scammers count on immediate reactions rather than careful consideration.

This educational article identifies five red flags that warn seniors they may be targeted for scams, emphasizing that older adults lose nearly $5 billion annually and are targeted because they hold roughly half of U.S. wealth. The first two red flags discussed are feeling panicked (as in grandparent scams demanding immediate bail) and pressure to make fast decisions (such as investment opportunities or fake retail websites), with experts advising victims to slow down, create mental space, and independently verify claims rather than acting immediately.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for South Dakota designated June as Elder Abuse Awareness Month to highlight the widespread impact of elder fraud and abuse, which affects millions of seniors annually by compromising their finances, security, and dignity. Warning signs of elder fraud include unexplained bank withdrawals, suspicious signatures on financial documents, abrupt changes to wills, and unpaid bills despite adequate funds, while common scams involve impersonation (kidnapping/arrest claims), romance fraud, and gift card schemes. The Justice Department provides resources including Senior Scam Alerts and a dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline (1-833-FRAUD-11) for reporting and assistance.

The Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office hosted a workshop on real estate fraud targeting older adults, led by Supervising Deputy District Attorney Dana Filkowski as part of Elder Abuse Awareness Month outreach efforts. The workshop educated community members including attorneys, financial professionals, and residents aged 50+ about fraud prevention, noting that older adults are vulnerable due to high property equity, increased trust in others, and limited digital literacy. Filkowski emphasized that while real estate fraud is difficult to investigate and undo, prevention through education and resources like the District Attorney's Fraud Hotline (925-957-8705) is crucial to protecting seniors from financial exploitation.

The Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office hosted a workshop during Elder Abuse Awareness Month to help residents identify and prevent real estate fraud schemes targeting adults aged 50 and older, who are vulnerable due to higher home ownership, trust in others, and limited digital literacy. Supervising Deputy District Attorney Dana Filkowski emphasized that while real estate fraud is difficult to investigate and remedy once it occurs, prevention through education about notarized signatures, fraud notification programs, and common scam tactics is essential. The office operates a Fraud Hotline and continues community outreach efforts in partnership with the Family Justice Center to combat elder financial abuse.

Huntington Health is hosting a free virtual educational event on July 9 to help community members recognize and prevent financial elder abuse, which affects over 6% of elderly Americans and costs seniors nearly $36.5 billion annually. The presentation will cover common scams targeting older adults and protective strategies, led by an elder abuse prevention advocate, and reflects urgent national trends showing that only 1 in 24 cases of elder exploitation reach authorities, with nearly 47% of incidents involving family members as perpetrators.

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.