Task force watches for elder fraud
Associated Press
November 10, 2008
Wichita — Officials here estimate that as many as 3,500 elderly Sedgwick County residents are robbed every year by scam artists, family “caregivers” or other thieves.
But a task force organized by District Attorney Nola Foulston is keeping a closer eye on financial transactions of senior citizens. The Financial Abuse Specialist Team, formed in October, enlists the help of volunteers such as bank employees, U.S. postal employees, Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services workers, federal agents and elderly mental health specialists.
Margie McFrederick is a banker who says workers watch for elderly customers coming in regularly to withdraw money with the help of a nonrelative who does all the talking.
They also watch for seniors who start making small, unexplained withdrawals from their savings accounts, aware that scam artists call confused elderly people at home and pretend to be from a bank, asking for all sorts of banking information and Social Security numbers.
“One of the worst parts about this is that the elderly involved are from a generation that trusted people and has a lot of pride,” said McFrederick, a vice president at Emprise bank. “So they often don’t report it when they are robbed.”
Authorities say only a fraction of such crimes against elderly residents get reported. Between July 2007 and July 2008, the state received 184 reports of “fiduciary abuse and exploitation.”
Abridged
SOURCE: Lawrence Journal World
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