ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER
Access To Accounts Is First Step
Impersonating Senior Online And Over Phone
One In Five Older Americans Are Victims Of Financial Abuse
Isolated seniors can be financially exploited by almost anyone but our litigators see in-home caregivers very frequently as the abusers. Typically, the caregiver starts out slowly by pocketing cash or making unauthorized purchasers with a card. But the abuse can escalate quickly. The Marin elder abuse litigators at Evans Law Firm, Inc. represent seniors who are victims of any kind of financial elder abuse by anyone, including caregivers. If you suspect financial abuse of an older loved one, call our elder abuse lawyers at (415)441-8669 and we can help.
A recently reported Bay Area case[1] reveals a recurring pattern of abuse by caregivers. Shortly after a wheelchair-bound senior hired an in-home caregiver, the caregiver began logging into the senior’s bank account, using the older woman’s credentials. The first time, the caregiver attempted to transfer $10,000 into her own account. The bank blocked it, requesting that the senior call in to verify her identity. The caregiver called instead, pretending to be her ward. Though she failed the bank’s security questions, and the senior had never made a similar transfer in all the years she held the account, the bank allowed it to go through. Unaware, the senior continued to visit her branch every week, as she had done for the last 15 years. No bank employee ever mentioned the transaction. Over the next nine months, the caregiver allegedly made 44 additional transfers, ultimately stealing about $245,000 according to the police.
The case illustrates how relentless elder financial abuse can be. It also demonstrates that greedy caregivers will rarely stop when they believe they are getting away with their schemes. If you have a senior loved one under the care of an in-home caregiver, be especially vigilant in reviewing bank statements every month. If your senior loved one agrees you may also sign up for electronic notifications of unusual activity in their account. Call or visit as often as you can during these difficult COVID-19 times and speak to your loved one alone so he or she can really open up to you about what’s going on in their life.
Contact Us
If you sense any kind of abuse of an older loved one, call us right away. Ingrid M. Evans and the other elder abuse attorneys at Evans Law Firm, Inc. have years of experience in representing seniors and their families against abusers. You can reach us at (415) 441-8669, or by email at info@evanslaw.com.
[1] Evans Law Firm, Inc. was not involved in the case in any way.
