Elder Fraud Attorney in Dunkirk, Maryland

If you’re the victim of a scam or fraud, this can have a profound effect on your finances and emotional well-being. This is even more true for elderly individuals. Unfortunately, a large number of adults aged 65 and older are targeted by scammers and fraudsters, who get creative and come up with new scams to target elders every year.  

Has someone taken advantage of you or your loved one? If your parent/grandparent or an elderly relative or friend has become a victim of elder fraud, our attorney at the Law Offices of Julie A. Schejbal, CHTD, can help. Our elder fraud attorney in Dunkirk, Maryland, is committed to pursuing legal action against scammers and fraudsters, protecting the best interests of her clients, and striving tirelessly to help clients get their money back after discovering fraud or scam. 

In addition to Dunkirk, we also serve clients throughout Charles County, Calvert County, Prince George’s County, and St. Mary’s County. Set up a one-on-one consultation today.  

What Is Elder Fraud?

Elder fraud is also referred to as elder financial abuse and elder financial exploitation. Elder fraud takes many forms, but in general, it involves the abuse of financial control and/or misappropriation of funds that harms an elderly victim.  

Many scammers and fraudsters specifically target the elderly because they are perceived to be more vulnerable. People over 65 are more likely to become victims of elder fraud if they are: 

• Lonely or isolated;  

• Physically or mentally disabled; and 

• Not familiar with how to handle their own finances.  

Often, scammers and fraudsters make it seem as if they are trying to help in order to gain the elder person’s trust. Unfortunately, many victims recognize that they were a victim of fraud or scam when it is too late. In fact, some victims never recognize the truth, especially when there is no one by their side to open their eyes and detect fraud/scam. 

Common Scams That Target Elders

The first step in avoiding elder fraud is to be able to recognize that you or your loved one is being financially abused or exploited. Below are some of the most common forms of fraud and scams that target elders: 

• Government impersonation. As part of this scam, fraudsters contact the elderly and claim to be representatives from a government agency, such as the Social Security Administration (SSA), Medicare, or the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), to steal their money or get their personal information.  

• Lottery or investment scams. While people of all ages can become victims of this type of scam, the elderly are one of the most commonly targeted groups. In this scam, a victim is contacted and told that they won a large prize but need to pay a certain amount of money to claim the prize. Investment scams are basically the same. The only difference is that the victim is being told to pay a fee upfront to get their earnings.   

• Tech support scams. In this scheme, a scammer pretends to be a tech support representative from a well-known company (e.g., Microsoft) and tells the victim all sorts of technical jargon in an attempt to trick them into granting them remote access to their phone/computer or get them to pay for the software they do not need.  

• The grandparent scam. As part of this scam, an elderly person receives a call from someone who claims to be their grandchild. The caller typically asks for money to get them out of trouble or to help them in an emergency.  

• Telemarketing fraud. This is one of the most common types of scams that affect the elderly. Telemarketing fraud is any scam that occurs over the phone in which the targeted person is being convinced to provide personal information or pay for something. 

• Phishing scams. Phishing occurs when a scammer uses fake texts, calls, or emails in an attempt to steal the victim’s personal information. For example, the elderly person may receive an email from what appears to be the SSA instructing them to click the link and update their information. 

• Romance scams. Scammers often target older people who lost their spouses in what is known as a romance scam. These scammers tell their victims all sorts of lies to steal their hearts and their money. 

• Internet fraud. In the age of the Internet, scams and fraud are prevalent. Unfortunately, many elderly people lack technology literacy, which makes them more susceptible to falling for various scams online.  

If you or someone you love has been a victim of any of these (or other) types of scams or fraud, contact an elder law attorney in Dunkirk, Maryland, to explore your legal options and discuss how you can get your money back.  

What to Know About Elder Fraud

Often, it is not entirely possible to get your loved one’s money back when they become a victim of elder fraud. A possible exception is when the scammer/fraudster is identified (which is rarely the case) and the victim files a lawsuit against them to recover their losses.  

When elder fraud involves a financial account, it is critical that the victim contacts their bank or another financial services provider and reports that they were the victim of fraud. Depending on the situation, the financial services provider might be able to freeze the fraudster’s account and get the victim’s money back.  

If your loved one was a victim of elder fraud and you want to report fraud on their behalf, contact Adult Protective Services (APS). The APS has programs in place to protect the elderly from elder fraud and financial abuse/exploitation. When contacting APS to report elder fraud, you will have to share the following information: 

• The name of the victim; 

• The name of suspects, if any;  

• The name of witnesses;  

• The date and time of the incidents; 

• The frequency of the scam/fraud; and 

• A description of the scam/fraud.  

If your elderly loved one was a victim of elder fraud or scam online, the emails or messages can be used as evidence of fraud.