Seniors Advised To Be Organized And Proactive To Protect Against Financial Abuse, Scams

     It’s easier than ever to handle our finances without setting foot inside a bank with so many advances in technology, but these changes have also made fraud and financial abuse a prevalent problem for older adults. Most elder financial abuse involves scams, forgery, identity theft, or undue pressure to give someone access to property or funds by simply providing information over the phone.
     Older adults are often targeted for such exploitation because they may be perceived as trusting, they may be cognitively impaired, they may have more funds available after a lifetime of saving, and potentially less exposure to technological advances.
     Alan Lefko, Chairman of the Bank of Grain Valley, encourages seniors and their family members to be aware of these attempts. Banks locally continue to encounter cases of attempted fraud and abuse of older adults, and the FDIC offers several tips for protecting against financial abuse and scams.
 
Tips for Protecting Finances
     Seniors can protect themselves from financial abuse by making sure financial records are organized and being aware of how much money is in all accounts. In addition, you can protect your assets by talking to someone at your bank, an attorney, or a financial advisor to discuss your options for ensuring your wishes for managing your money and property are followed in the event you become incapacitated. Other activities to help protect yourself include:
     Carefully choosing a trustworthy person to share your financial planning matters with so they can assist you with tracking your finances if you are unable to do so yourself.
     Locking up your checkbook, account statements, and other sensitive information.
     Ordering copies of your credit report to review for suspicious activity. (You are entitled to a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus once every twelve months. To order your free annual reports, go to AnnualCreditReport.com or call toll- free 1-877-322-8228.)
     Never providing personal information, including your Social Security number, account numbers, or other financial information to anyone over the phone unless you initiated the call.
     Asking for details in writing and getting a second opinion from a financial advisor or attorney before signing any document you don’t understand.
     Paying with checks and credit cards instead of cash to have records of transactions.
 
Tips for Family and Friends
     Family and friends can also help by being aware of the many ways in which an older person may be financially exploited. There are many scams and frauds that attempt to get bank account information or Social Security numbers from the elderly to steal their identity or money. Be on the lookout for signs of possible financial abuse, including:
     Unexplained account withdrawals.
     Another individual unexpectedly making financial decisions on the older person’s behalf.
     Disappearance of funds or valuable possessions.
     Unanticipated transfer of assets to another individual.
     Sudden changes to a will or other important financial documents.
     Suspicious signatures on checks.
     You should also contact any bank or other financial institution involved to notify them of the potential abuse, and they may be able to assist you. They may not be able to provide you with specific information about accounts or transactions due to privacy laws, but they have the ability to review information for potential abuse as well as the resources to report abuse.