Elder abuse prevention agency to hold seminar on avoiding fraud
By DAN LEE
The Press-Enterprise
October 28, 2008
Senior citizen advocates are seeing an increase in the number of elder-abuse cases and scams targeting retirees during these difficult economic times, the head of an advocacy group said Tuesday.
Margo Hamilton, the Riverside County C.A.R.E. (Curtailing Abuse Related to the Elderly) Program's regional manager, said her agency has seen an upswing in identity theft and caregiver fraud.
"As the economy worsens and people get more desperate, they get more creative about how to take money from (other) people," Hamilton said by phone.
"Sometimes, unfortunately, our elderly population is more vulnerable. They need people to help them."
The C.A.R.E. Program, which started in Riverside County in 1997, helps elderly fraud victims navigate the legal and regulatory system to get their money back.
It also works with law enforcement agencies to investigate crime and prosecute the perpetrators.
Since its formation, the program has assisted 5,100 seniors and dependent adults and resulted in $239 million in court-ordered restitution from perpetrators, Hamilton said. Criminals have received four life sentences and a total of 716 years in prison, she said.
Authorities these days also are seeing "sweetheart scams," where women find elderly men with money and become the men's caregiver or new "best friend," Hamilton said.
Real-estate fraud is another area, with adult children getting power of attorney for their parents, putting their parents' property in their name and taking out a second mortgage on the house, she said.
The children then don't make payments on the mortgage, leading the bank to foreclose on the home and evict the parents, Hamilton said.
Abridged
SOURCE: Press-Enterprise - Ca. USA
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