Tis the Season….for Financial Exploitation

Regular readers of this blog know we frequently provide posts on elder abuse. Financial exploitation is not a new problem, but it sure seems to be a growing one. At the end of November, the New York Times ran a story on financial exploitation.  Financial Abuse of the Elderly: Sometimes Unnoticed, Always Predatory featured several stories of victims of financial abuse. The article notes that often victims of financial exploitation may also be victims of other types of elder abuse (poly-victimization). According to the article, “[t]o help elders in financial and other distress, more municipalities, using federal funds, are training law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and social workers how to spot the sometimes subtle signals that may indicate someone has been swindled.”  The article illustrates the devastating consequences of financial exploitation.  The stories are compelling and sad.