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Sample Question Stems for website:
Do you know a victim?
Yes, it does happen
Warning Signs may include:
Financial exploitation which is the use of deception, intimidation or force to obtain control of assets or income.
Who might be a victim?
Persons who are:
Frail or suffer a chronic physical or mental impairment
Socially isolated
Dependent on other for basic needs
Powerless in an abusive situation
Fearful of retaliation or ashamed to take action
No group is immune to elder abuse. The problem affects all social classes and all racial, ethnic, and religious groups.
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Fraud-Offenders/Strangers:
What are the offenders' characteristics? Do they usually work alone, or in groups? How do they identify potential partners?
How do they develop the frauds? Do they use a variety of means, or do they stick to a particular method (mail, phone, in person)? Do they specialize in a particular kind of fraud, or commit a variety of them?
How do they identify potential victims? How are the victims' lists developed? Where do the lists come from and how are they purchased?
What motivates them? Money, Power? A sense of importance?
Incidents of Fraud:
What types of frauds are most frequently reported? Are there similarities in the types of frauds that typically do unreported?
Where are the frauds occurring? Are they clustered in specific neighborhoods or geographic areas? Are the victims similar?
What method is used (mail, phone, in person)? is there evidence that he offenders work from another jurisdiction?
What tactics are used to avoid detection? Time pressure? Secrecy? False address? Use of courier?
Financial Exploitation: Victims
What are victims characteristics? Do they live alone? Do they have regular contact with nonabusive family or friends? Is there evidence of diminished mental or physical capacity?
What is the victim-offender relationship? Elder and relative? Elder and cargiver? What are the relationship's positive aspects? Companionship? Promise of long-term care? Fulfillment of family obligations? Of cultural expectations?
When did the victim become aware of the exploitation? How was the incident reported? What factors encouraged reporting? What factors? discouraged reporting? To what extent were friends or family involved in discovering and reporting the incident?
Financial Exploitation: Offenders
What are the offenders' characteristics? Does the offender volunteer? Do they have a history of exploiting other? How does the caregiving relationship start? Is the offender hired through an agency? Is there a fiduciary relationship?
What motivates offenders? Money, Power? Feelings of entitlement? Concerns about inheritance? How do offenders get victims to comply? Isolation? Promises? Undue Influence? Coercion? Theft?
Financial Exploitation: Incidents
What are the primary means used to commit the crime? Joint accounts? Legal documents such as wills, deeds, trusts, powers of attorney?
What professionals are involved in the transactions? Bank tellers? Attorneys? Accountants? How may they unwittingly facilitate the crime?
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