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Search across 19,276 articles about elder fraud. Filter by fraud type, payment mechanism, or keywords.
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in Robocall / Phone Scam
perspectivemedia.com
· 2025-12-08
The UK government proposed legislation extending the window for banks to delay suspicious payments from one business day to up to 72 hours, allowing more time to investigate potential fraud and block high-risk transactions. The measure aims to combat authorized push payment (APP) fraud, romance scams, and purchase scams that cost hundreds of millions of pounds annually, with banks required to compensate customers for any interest or late fees resulting from delays.
gov.uk
· 2025-12-08
The UK government proposed new legislation extending the time banks can delay suspicious payments from one business day to up to 72 hours to investigate potential fraud and protect consumers. This measure aims to address the £460 million lost to fraud annually, particularly from romance scams and purchase scams targeting vulnerable people, by giving banks time to contact customers and intervene before money reaches scammers. Banks must have reasonable grounds to suspect fraud, inform customers of delays, and compensate them for any resulting fees or interest.
metro.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Co-operative Bank experienced a widespread outage of its mobile app and online banking services beginning around 1:30pm, preventing customers from accessing their accounts and prompting complaints on social media; the bank apologized and stated it was working to resolve the issue. The article also covers unrelated banking news including proposed government measures to extend fraud investigation time for suspicious transactions to 72 hours to better protect consumers from scams like romance fraud.
liteonline.com
· 2025-12-08
This article warns Idaho shoppers about five common Amazon-related scams to watch out for during Prime Big Deal Days (October 8-9). Amazon is the second most impersonated brand in America, with the FTC reporting 34,000 Amazon scam complaints resulting in $19 million in losses last year. The article explains phishing tactics (via email, text, phone) and other scams scammers use to steal passwords, credit card numbers, and banking information from unsuspecting shoppers during peak shopping seasons.
indiatoday.in
· 2025-12-08
A retired Brigadier from Panchkula, Haryana, lost Rs 4.2 crore after downloading a phishing app from a WhatsApp link promising stock market investment opportunities; he and his wife were deceived into transferring funds across multiple accounts before being asked to pay an additional Rs 65 lakh commission to withdraw their money. The investigation revealed the scam was orchestrated by an international network based in the United States and United Kingdom, which used Indian bank accounts from rural border villages to launder the stolen funds, compensating account holders with small commissions.
indianexpress.com
· 2025-12-08
This article is not relevant to the Elderus fraud research database. It is a humorous viral video about ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode mimicking a fake tech support scam, rather than reporting an actual fraud incident, scam warning, or elder abuse case. While it references the Microsoft tech support scam as a joke, it does not document real victims, financial losses, or provide elder fraud prevention guidance.
cbc.ca
· 2025-12-08
Two Ontario women were sentenced to house arrest for their roles as "money mules" in a grandparent scam that defrauded nine elderly Manitoba residents of nearly $90,000 in summer 2022. Gabriel Edith Marie Paradis received a one-year conditional sentence, while Vanessa Fatima Alves Dasilva received an 18-month conditional sentence, after they pleaded guilty to fraud charges for picking up cash from victims who were deceived by phone calls claiming their grandchildren needed bail money. While most victims recovered their funds, the court noted lasting emotional impacts including embarrassment, loss of trust, and shattered confidence among the seniors targeted.
patch.com
· 2025-12-08
A 73-year-old woman in Inwood, Nassau received a fraudulent call from someone impersonating her bank's fraud department who attempted to convince her to surrender her credit card for pickup. The woman recognized the scam and contacted police, enabling detectives to arrest 28-year-old Darren Saunders before he could complete the theft; Saunders was also found with forged identification and credit card documents.
dhs.gov
· 2025-12-08
HSI arrested two men in Rhode Island in connection with elder fraud schemes targeting seniors through online pop-up scams. Jirui Liu, 22, of Canada was charged after allegedly defrauding a 79-year-old man of $30,000 in cash and $130,000 in gold bars by impersonating federal authorities and falsely claiming his assets were compromised; a 72-year-old victim lost nearly $200,000 in a similar scheme involving Kush J. Patel, 22, of Connecticut, who posed as an FTC agent directing the victim to purchase and deliver gold bullion.
foxnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Americans over age 60 lost more than $3.4 billion to scams in 2023, with 101,000 complaints filed—a 14.5% increase from 2022. Tech support scams were the most common fraud type, while data brokers' sale of personal information increasingly enables criminals to target seniors. The article recommends protective measures including monitoring financial accounts, using strong passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, limiting personal information sharing, and considering data removal services.
news.trendmicro.com
· 2025-12-08
Contrary to the stereotype of elderly victims, research shows younger people report losing money to scams more frequently than older adults, with those under 21 experiencing the largest surge in online fraud losses and 18-24 year-olds losing a median of $200 per scam. However, older adults suffer larger individual losses, with those aged 70-79 losing a median of $800 and those 80+ losing $1,500, reflecting how scams are tailored to different generations—younger people are targeted primarily on social media (40% of cases for ages 18-29) while older adults are targeted via phone (40% for those 80+). Different age groups face distinct
techradar.com
· 2025-12-08
Travel booking scams have surged dramatically, with Booking.com reporting a 500-900% increase in travel scams over 18 months and Lloyds Bank noting a 7% spike in holiday purchase scams, where victims lost an average of £765. Scammers use social engineering tactics including vishing (voice phishing), smishing (SMS phishing), and AI-powered impersonation to trick travelers into revealing sensitive personal information such as payment details, passport numbers, and one-time passwords. Security experts recommend two-factor authentication and call for travel brands to prioritize mobile app security, as nearly 70% of working adults have encountered vishing attacks that exploit human psychology an
stories.td.com
· 2025-12-08
Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre data shows fraud losses exceeded $554 million last year, a 40% increase from 2021, with underreporting masking the true scale of the problem. Fraudsters are increasingly using sophisticated technologies, including AI-generated deepfakes and impersonations, to deceive victims across multiple scam types including job scams, which typically involve unsolicited job offers followed by requests for upfront payment for training or uniforms. Financial institutions and individuals can reduce risk through cyber literacy training, skepticism toward offers that sound too good to be true, and verification of job opportunities through official company channels.
kalingatv.com
· 2025-12-08
Florida State House candidate Jay Shooster's parents nearly fell victim to a $30,000 voice cloning scam in which fraudsters used just 15 seconds of audio from his TV appearance to impersonate him and claim he had been arrested and needed bail. Despite Shooster's prior warnings to his family about such AI-driven scams, his father almost sent the money before learning it was not his son. Shooster has since advocated for stricter legislation and recommends families use secret pass phrases to verify identities during emergencies.
republicworld.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Jay Shooster, a Florida State House candidate, revealed that his parents nearly lost $30,000 to a voice-cloning AI scam in which a caller impersonated him, claiming he was arrested and needed bail money. The scammer created a convincing voice clone using just 15 seconds of audio from Shooster's recent TV appearance. Shooster emphasized the need for increased awareness and stricter AI regulations, and highlighted how such technology poses identity verification challenges even in genuine emergencies.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Jay Shooster, a Florida State House candidate and consumer protection lawyer, revealed that scammers used AI voice cloning technology to impersonate him in a call to his father, claiming he had been in a car accident and arrested for DUI and needed $30,000 for bail. The scammers likely obtained a voice sample from Shooster's recent television appearance, and the fraud was ultimately detected when the callers refused card payment and made suspicious claims. Shooster emphasized the effectiveness of such scams despite his professional expertise and urged public awareness, while noting that voice-cloning technology creates a troubling secondary effect: the difficulty of verifying loved ones' identities during genuine emergencies.
wjhg.com
· 2025-12-08
The Bay County Sheriff's Office issued a scam alert after receiving multiple reports of a jury duty scam targeting residents. Victims received phone calls claiming they missed jury duty and had arrest warrants, followed by fraudulent emails with fake warrants demanding thousands of dollars to avoid arrest. The sheriff's office emphasized that law enforcement never calls about warrants or requests payment to avoid arrest, and urged residents to hang up and contact the BCSO directly at 850-747-4700 to verify any such claims.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Dolapo Lawal, a 34-year-old Baltimore man, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for access device fraud and aggravated identity theft targeting elderly victims through a stolen identity tax refund scheme. Lawal fraudulently obtained over $3 million in tax refunds using the identities of elderly victims, loaded the refunds onto debit cards opened in their names, and withdrew cash at ATMs; law enforcement discovered 24 fraudulent debit cards with over $80,000 in cash during an April 2022 traffic stop and over 300 additional cards during a June 2023 home search.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Two individuals—Darryl Lamont Young and Aqeelah Ngiesha Williams—were indicted for defrauding seriously ill veterans between December 2021 and April 2023. Young, calling from correctional facilities, posed as a VA employee to obtain personal and banking information from patients at medical facilities, which he and Williams then used to steal approximately $8,000 from over 60 victims across more than 30 facilities through 130 fraudulent transactions. Both defendants face charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft, carrying potential sentences of up to 20 years in prison.
latimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A woman named Jane fell victim to a phishing scam when, while emotionally distressed, she received a fraudulent email appearing to be from her bank and unknowingly granted scammers remote access to her smartphone. According to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, adults over 60 have lost more to tech support scams than all other age groups combined, with some victims remortgaging homes or depleting retirement accounts to cover losses. Wise & Healthy Aging offers a free support group called "Seniors Against Scammers" to help scam victims and provides educational resources and workshops on recognizing and preventing elder fraud and abuse throughout Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties.
ncdoj.gov
· 2025-12-08
Following hurricane relief efforts in western North Carolina, scammers are exploiting donors' goodwill through charity fraud schemes including phishing emails, fake websites, and counterfeit crowdfunding campaigns. The article provides guidance on verifying legitimate organizations through resources like the BBB Wise Giving Alliance and Charity Navigator, avoiding unsolicited donation requests, and donating by credit card or check rather than gift cards. Victims of charity scams are encouraged to report fraud to the North Carolina Consumer Protection Division.
nypost.com
· 2025-12-08
Following Hurricane Helene, scammers targeted disaster victims in Asheville, North Carolina with a tree removal scam charging $280 upfront fees while falsely claiming to be "FEMA-authorized" representatives who would cover 90% of removal costs. Victims were also targeted with charity scams involving fake donations and identity theft schemes. North Carolina's Attorney General advised residents to obtain written estimates, avoid upfront payments, verify company credentials and email domains, and research any business before engaging services.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A Plymouth, Massachusetts homeowner discovered fraudsters had created a forged purchase and sale agreement for his home when an attorney called to verify the sale; the scammers planned to record a fraudulent deed at the registry of deeds to steal the property, though the scheme was thwarted when the attorney alerted the victim. This incident is part of a rising trend of real estate fraud targeting homeowners, with both the FBI and Secret Service issuing warnings, and the victim has since filed a fraud report and enrolled in free registry of deeds notification alerts to monitor his property.
forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
During major retail shopping events like Amazon Prime Day and Target Circle Week, scams targeting consumers surge dramatically, with impersonation scams (phishing), fake customer service calls, and fraudulent shipping notifications being the most common types used to steal personal and financial information. Scammers exploit these busy shopping periods through deceptive emails, sophisticated AI-powered phone calls impersonating Amazon and Apple support, fake package delivery notices, and social media ads promoting products that never arrive, with phishing attempts tripling around Prime Day compared to normal periods. Consumers are advised to verify phone numbers independently, avoid clicking links in unsolicited messages, and report suspected scams to retailers and law enforcement.
express.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams linked to social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are surging in the UK, with Santander UK reporting £3.8 million stolen from customers over six months—a 27 percent increase from the previous period, with average losses of £4,500 per victim. Scammers use stolen images to build emotional relationships with targets across all age groups (18-93) before requesting money through fabricated sob stories about medical expenses or other emergencies. Research shows that 55 percent of people admit to loneliness, and nearly one-third would provide financial support to online romantic partners within six months of knowing them, creating vulnerability to these emotionally manipulative schemes.
weareresonate.com
· 2025-12-08
80-year-old Alice Lin from California lost her entire life savings of $720,000 to a "pig butchering" scam on WeChat, where a fraudster built trust with her over three weeks before convincing her to make seven wire transfers for a fake investment. Lin is now suing JP Morgan Chase for failing to identify red flags and alert her trusted contact about the unusual account activity, and she has testified in support of legislation requiring banks to delay large transactions when elder fraud is suspected.
grandforksherald.com
· 2025-12-08
Long Leaf Trading Group, a Chicago-based boiler-room operation announced in 2020, cold-called victims to promote a commodity-trading scheme that promised 6%-12% annual returns; nearly all customers lost money while the company collected $1.2 million in commissions. The article contextualizes this case within a broader fraud epidemic, noting that consumer fraud cost Americans a record $10 billion in the previous year, with AI-enhanced scams using voice cloning, personalized data, and imposter tactics now replacing older low-tech fraud schemes and making it increasingly difficult for law enforcement to combat modern scammers.
clickondetroit.com
· 2025-12-08
Michigan residents lost approximately $80 million to cryptocurrency scams in 2023, with scammers impersonating government agencies and demanding payment via bitcoin or gift cards for fines and tickets. Michigan State Police and local law enforcement agencies warned residents that legitimate government agencies never request payment in cryptocurrency or gift cards, and advised victims to contact the actual agency directly if contacted by such scammers. One Northville Township resident was defrauded of roughly $300,000 in a similar scheme.
cleveland.com
· 2025-12-08
Employment scams ranked among the top five most common fraud schemes in 2023, with median losses exceeding $2,000 per victim, often targeting job seekers through fake job listings via text, email, or phone calls that request personal information like Social Security numbers or bank account details. Common tactics include fraudsters impersonating real companies, sending fraudulent checks for "supplies" then requesting refunds, and pressuring victims into communication on unmonitored platforms like WhatsApp. Job seekers can protect themselves by verifying company contact information, watching for unrealistic job offers, maintaining records of applications, and avoiding sharing personal information until directly confirming employment with the actual company.
nbcsandiego.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Cybersecurity experts warn that the weeks leading up to the presidential election see a surge in scams targeting voters, including donation fraud (fake campaign solicitations), voter-registration scams seeking personal information, and election survey scams. Experts advise voters to donate directly through official campaign websites, remember that voter registration cannot occur by phone, avoid providing personal information to unsolicited callers, and verify election-related information through multiple credible news sources before accepting it as true.
thedailybeast.com
· 2025-12-08
Truth Social users, particularly retired older adults, have lost thousands to millions of dollars in scams on the platform over the past two years, with complaints to the FTC documenting "pig butchering" investment schemes, cryptocurrency fraud, and romantic scams that exploited victims out of amounts ranging from $21,000 to $500,000. The scams typically involved fraudsters creating fake investment accounts showing fictitious gains to lure victims into larger contributions, or posing as romantic interests to extract money for supposed emergencies or investment opportunities. Truth Social's parent company stated it has a team actively searching for and removing scams and bots from the platform.
tag24.com
· 2025-12-08
Truth Social users, predominantly those over 60, have filed numerous FTC complaints alleging they were scammed out of hundreds of thousands of dollars through schemes including "pig butchering" (fake investment cons) and romance scams, with individual losses ranging from $120,000 to $500,000. The platform's parent company claims to actively monitor for and remove scammers, but FTC complaints obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request reveal the scams have persisted over at least a two-year period.
union-bulletin.com
· 2025-12-08
Long Leaf Trading Group, a Chicago-based boiler-room operation announced in 2020, cold-called unsuspecting customers to promote a fraudulent commodity-trading scheme promising 6%-12% annual returns, resulting in nearly all customers losing money while insiders collected $1.2 million in commissions. The article contextualizes this relatively straightforward scam within the broader modern fraud epidemic, where AI-enhanced voice cloning, personalized targeting using social media and data breach information, and imposter schemes have driven consumer fraud losses to a record $10 billion annually, with law enforcement struggling to keep pace with increasingly sophisticated technology-enabled cons.
inyourarea.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams cost UK victims an estimated £6.8 million over 12 months, with individual losses averaging £4,500 across victims aged 18-93, according to Santander UK data. Scammers exploit loneliness and emotional vulnerability by building trust before requesting money, with 28% of survey respondents willing to provide financial support to romantic partners known for less than six months. Protective measures include removing emotion from financial decisions, reverse-image searching photos, refusing to send money to online-only contacts, and reporting suspected scams to Action Fraud or local police.
etvbharat.com
· 2025-12-08
During National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, cybersecurity expert Mohit Yadav shared key strategies to protect against evolving cyber threats, including "digital arrest" scams where fraudsters pose as law enforcement to extract sensitive information like Aadhaar numbers. Common threats include fake telecom company calls promoting malware-infected apps, deepfake extortion schemes (one case resulting in losses exceeding one crore rupees), and phishing emails with deceptive links and misspelled sender addresses. Key protective measures include using strong passwords with eight+ characters and mixed case/numbers/symbols, enabling two-factor authentication, carefully verifying email sources, and avoiding clicking unsolicited links
pymnts.com
· 2025-12-08
Haotian Sun and Pengfei Xue, Chinese citizens living in Maryland, were convicted of submitting over 6,000 counterfeit iPhones with spoofed serial numbers to Apple for repairs between 2017 and 2019, resulting in $2.5 million in losses. Sun was sentenced to 57 months in prison with over $1 million in restitution, while Xue received 54 months with $397,800 in restitution. The case reflects broader returns fraud challenges, with American merchants losing an estimated $101 billion in 2023 to fraudulent returns and returns policy abuse.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A 58-year-old schoolteacher in Agra, Malti Verma, died of cardiac arrest on September 30 after receiving approximately 10 threatening calls within 15 minutes from a scammer impersonating a police officer who falsely claimed her daughter was caught in a sex racket and demanded Rs 1 lakh (approximately $1,200 USD) for her release. Investigators have traced a key phone number used in the scam to West Bengal, suggesting involvement of an organized cyber crime network, though the accused remain unidentified.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Five individuals were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud for operating a tech support scam that stole at least $8 million from elderly victims across at least ten states. The scheme involved fraudsters falsely claiming victims' bank accounts were compromised and coercing them to transfer funds, sometimes through gold bars purchased by victims and collected by couriers; one 82-year-old St. Louis victim lost approximately $250,000 before law enforcement intercepted a courier attempting pickup. The defendants had differentiated roles as couriers and handlers coordinating the collection and transportation of stolen assets across multiple states.
milfordlive.com
· 2025-12-08
The Milford Police Department is hosting a free Senior Protection Presentation on October 11 addressing fraud and scams targeting older adults, including prevention tips and recovery advice. According to the FBI's 2023 Elder Fraud Report, elder fraud complaints rose 14 percent with losses exceeding $3.4 billion, though actual figures are likely higher due to underreporting, with victims averaging nearly $34,000 in losses.
newsbytesapp.com
· 2025-12-08
Fraudsters in India are impersonating Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO) officials and targeting pensioners through WhatsApp, sending fake forms and threatening to halt pension payments to extract sensitive information including bank account details and Pension Payment Order numbers. Pensioners can protect themselves by remembering that government agencies never request such personal information via WhatsApp or phone calls, and should verify any suspicious communications by contacting official agencies directly using verified contact numbers. Reporting these scams to authorities is critical to prevent further victimization of vulnerable senior citizens.
aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
From 2018 to 2020, Medicare paid out over $1 billion in fraudulent claims for orthotic braces (neck, back, and other supports) that were sold to beneficiaries through unsolicited telemarketer calls and advertisements without required doctor consultations or prescriptions. The scheme involved 24 defendants across 17 federal districts who submitted $1.7 billion in false Medicare claims, often sending unrequested or medically unnecessary braces to seniors, which put recipients at health risk and potentially disqualified them from future legitimate brace coverage.
kq2.com
· 2025-12-08
Nick Gertsema delivered a seminar at Benedictine Living Community in St. Joseph, Missouri, educating senior citizens on preventing identity theft and scams. Key prevention strategies include never sharing personal information with unknown contacts, verifying the identity of those requesting information, and recognizing that requests for payment in cash, gift cards, or cryptocurrency are scam indicators. Individuals who suspect fraudulent contact should hang up and contact their bank and authorities.
sg.news.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
A new email extortion scam uses photos of victims' homes obtained from Google Maps and data breaches to threaten exposure of alleged compromising videos, demanding Bitcoin payment to prevent release. The scam exploits personal information to create fear and urgency, though scammers typically have no actual footage or access to victims' computers. Victims can protect themselves by verifying images against Google Maps street view, checking email authentication details (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), examining sender addresses for legitimacy, and avoiding clicking unfamiliar links.
fox10phoenix.com
· 2025-12-08
According to an IPX1031 study, 30% of Americans were scammed in the last 12 months, with victims losing an average of $2,647 over their lifetime. The most common scams are credit card fraud (37%), identity theft (34%), and online shopping scams (32%), though only 56% of victims report incidents to authorities. While 80% of Americans take preventive measures like self-education and stronger passwords, significant gaps remain—including 10% who don't use two-factor authentication and 22% unfamiliar with credit freezes—and 76% express concern about AI advancing fraud tactics.
hindustantimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Concert ticket scams have surged globally, with fraudsters using fake listings, phishing emails, and social media to deceive fans purchasing tickets for popular artists like Coldplay, Taylor Swift, and others. Notable incidents include an 18-year-old in India losing ₹2.2 lakh, 583 people in Singapore losing $223,000, over 600 Taylor Swift fans in the UK losing an average of £332 each, and 57 cases in Hong Kong resulting in HK$420,000 in losses. Scammers employ tactics such as impersonating official ticketing platforms, creating fake confirmation emails, and providing fraudulent ticket screenshots, while some
wkyc.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece warns consumers about three common scams targeting Amazon Prime Day shoppers: fraudulent requests for gift card payments, fake prize notifications requiring shipping fees, and phishing messages impersonating USPS with malicious links. The article advises that legitimate transactions never require gift card payments, prize claims are typically scams, and USPS never sends unsolicited tracking links—noting that Amazon-related scams cost consumers $19 million in 2023.
10news.com
· 2025-12-08
During election season, scammers target voters through political donation scams, fake surveys, and voter registration text messages that attempt to steal money or personal information. To protect yourself, verify the source of any political communication by calling official campaign numbers directly from their websites rather than responding to unsolicited texts or emails, avoid clicking unfamiliar links, and use spam filters or message blockers to reduce unwanted messages.
michigan.gov
· 2025-12-08
Dr. Rainna Furnari Brazil, 57, a Michigan osteopathic physician, pleaded guilty to eight felony counts of insurance fraud after collecting over $400,000 in disability payments from Unum Life Insurance Company between 2017 and 2021 while continuing to work as a practicing physician. Brazil agreed to pay $458,962 in restitution, with her sentencing reduced from multiple felony charges to potentially one charge if she pays the full amount during an 11-month delayed sentence period.
rosslandtelegraph.com
· 2025-12-08
On October 4, 2024, the Trail and Greater District RCMP reported a romance scam case in which a victim lost a significant amount of money after a scammer built trust through fake online profiles, then requested she purchase gift cards that were cashed in by the perpetrator. The RCMP warned that romance scams are rising in popularity and operate through sophisticated tactics, with perpetrators typically building relationships over months before requesting money for travel, emergencies, investments, or asking victims to receive money on their behalf. Red flags include quick declarations of love, excuses to avoid in-person meetings, poorly written messages, and attempts to isolate victims from friends and family.
fox10tv.com
· 2025-12-08
A 37-year-old man from Georgia was arrested for financially exploiting an elderly Fairhope woman who lost over $100,000 after he gained access to her banking information, installed malicious software on her devices, and used fear tactics to pressure her into payments following a vehicle purchase. The case highlights how seniors are vulnerable to various online scams including tech support fraud, Medicare schemes, and grandparent scams, particularly during Medicare's open enrollment period. Resources like the Senior Medicare Patrol and Better Business Bureau can help verify legitimacy of communications and prevent elder fraud.