by Carol Leish
There are many resources to deal with senior fraud. You can contact various websites for information. You can also call various phone numbers for assistance. Thus, by using various tools, you’ll be better able to protect yourselves.
According to Carey Aldava, Manager of Ventura County Adult Protective Services Program, “Unfortunately, according to AARP, a MetLife study determined that 55% of financial abuse in the United States is committed by family members, caregivers, and friends. Often, undue influence is used as a means of exploiting the elder or dependent adult financially. In a brief issued by the National Center on Law and Elder Rights in June 2017, undue influence is defined as: ‘Someone using their role and power to exploit the trust, dependency, and fear of others. They use the power to deceptively gain control over the decision-making of the other person.’”
Aldava emphasized by saying, “If you suspect elder or dependent adult abuse, call the Adult Protective Services 24-Hour Abuse Reporting Hotline at: 805-654-3200. To request information, visit vchsa.org/aps or call Adult Protective Services at: 805-658-4453.”
Debbie Deem, a retired victim’s specialist for the FBI, discussed where to report fraud and how to seek help. “If you are a victim of a computer, phone or other fraud crime, please report it to: www.ic3.gov if it is a computer/cyber related fraud; or, to: www.reportfraud.ftc.gov if it is a fraud involving the phone or mail.
“In Ventura County, it should also be reported to your local law enforcement and Adult Protective Services (if older or dependent adults) are involved.
“For those age 60 and over, the US Dept. Justice has a helpline-at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-372-8311 that can help provide referrals, support and even help in filing the above reports. Services are available for those in almost every language.”
“There are some common ways to avoid being defrauded,” according to Deem. She elaborated upon this by saying: “1) Learn to screen your calls from unknown numbers and use voice mail to decide before calling anyone back that you do not know. This provides you with time to further investigate if the person calling you is real. 2) Keep your computer updated with proper antivirus and other applications updated. 3) Don’t use the same password for email and other websites. 4) Use a password manager to help to remember a different password for each computer application. 5) Use privacy setting on social media accounts like Facebook. 6) Keep your settings to private, and don’t ‘friend’ strangers, even if they appear to be friends with someone who you know. 7) Use multifactor authentication protecting your accounts on line with something you know (password) and something you have (such as your cell phone). The website: https://stopthinkconnect.org/ has additional computer help.”
By becoming aware of what steps of avoidance to take; who to contact if necessary; and, various websites to gain knowledge, you’ll be able to better able to cope with/avoid the possibilities of senior fraud.
“There are some common ways to avoid being defrauded,” according to, Deem. “These include: 1) Learn to screen your calls from unknown numbers and use voice mail to decide before calling anyone back that you do not know.; 2) Keep your computer updated with proper antivirus and other applications updated.; 3) Don’t use the same password for email and other websites.; 4) Use a password manager to help remember a different password for each computer application.; 5) Use privacy settings on social media account life Facebook.; 6) Keep your settings to private.; 7) Don’t ‘friend’ strangers, even if they appear to be friends with someone that you know.; and, 8) Use multifactor authentication protecting your accounts on line with something you know (password) and something you have (such as your cell phone). https://stopthinkconnect.org/has additional computer help.”
