Though it can be a bit disconcerting, there are certain perils that lie in wait for people who reach an advanced age. Nobody should live in fear, and the best way to combat it is to understand what is going on in the world around you and make preparations to protect yourself. With this in mind we would like to highlight elder financial abuse and how it is being perpetrated over the Internet.
Elder financial abuse is a plague on our nation’s senior citizens that takes place largely in the shadows. The reason for this is because a very high percentage of the instances of abuse that occur are perpetrated by family members and other people known to the victim. Only a small portion of the cases are reported to authorities because the victims want to protect the family members, friends, and “helpers” that perpetrate the abuse. And sadly, in addition to the protection factor many of these elders simply need the assistance that the perpetrators are providing even though they know that they are being financially exploited and they don’t report them for this reason.
Though a lot of the cases of elder financial abuse are indeed initiated by people with whom the victims are acquainted, seniors are also the victims of Internet-based scams and theft perpetrated by strangers. As we all know electronic asset transfers are simple as the click of a mouse, and there are scam artists out there who attempt to win the confidence of elders in an effort to bilk them out of their hard-earned savings.
In addition to this, identity theft is a big problem today and seniors are often targeted. There are identity guard solutions out there that can help you protect your identity and alert you if anything unusual is taking place.
In the big picture, there are legal steps that you can take to mitigate your exposure to elder financial abuse. If you would like to discuss the matter with a knowledgeable professional, simply take a moment to pick up the phone and arrange for a consultation with a licensed and experienced elder law attorney.
Mr. Nirenstein is licensed to practice before the courts of the State of Connecticut and the United States District Court. He is a member of the Connecticut and Hartford County Bar Associations, and the Estate and Probate, Elder Law, Business Law and Real Estate Sections of the Connecticut Bar Association.
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