A variety of things you observe or detect may signal that a resident or family member is a victim of financial exploitation. Here is a list of many of the “red flags” that you might spot.
1. Things a resident tells you or that you observe concerning the resident:
- Resident, regardless of cognitive impairment, complains or reports that someone is misusing or stealing his/her money or property
- Resident reports missing checkbook, credit card, or important papers
- Resident is agitated or distraught prior to or after a family member or friend visits
- Resident is agitated or distraught prior to or after a family member or friend takes him/her out for a visit or appointment
- Resident becomes secretive and suddenly starts hiding possessions or hoarding papers
2. Things you observe in or about a resident’s room or apartment
- Disappearance of possessions
- Replacement of possessions in resident’s room with those of lesser value
- Resident lacks basics (e.g. underwear) but personal needs account is depleted
- Blank deposit slips or withdrawal forms in conspicuous places for easy taking
- Missing or unaccounted for medications
3. Family dynamics and other observations when the resident is with visitors
- Observing/hearing a resident pressured to make a decision or sign a document “now”
- Observing/hearing a resident being threatened by family or other visitor that unless the resident agrees to or signs a document, the visitor will stop taking care of the resident
- “Chaperoning” – suspected person lets others visit only when he/she is present and insists on speaking for the resident
- New acquaintance showing intense affection for resident, isolating her/him from others
- Previously uninvolved persons claim authority to manage resident’s care and/or finances but do not provide documentation
- Agent or family member declines or pressures resident to decline prescribed treatment(s) on the basis of cost, overriding the resident’s wishes
- Family members or fiduciaries avoiding care plan meetings or failing to return calls from facility staff
- Known gambling, drug or alcohol problem of resident, family member or visitor
- Conflicts concerning finances between resident’s adult children or others with close relationships to the resident
4. Billing issues
- Unpaid facility bills
- Unpaid pharmacy bills
- Stalling or broken promises from person handling resident’s money
- Abrupt or repeated changes in responsibility for paying resident’s bills
- Bills paid in cash
- Communication from a family member, friend, fiduciary or partner that he or she plans to move the resident after questions arise about suspected financial exploitation
5. Power of Attorney Matters
- Agent under power of attorney failing to provide necessary documentation
- Multiple agents under powers of attorney in conflict over responsibility to pay the facility bill
- Resident who appears to lack decision-making capacity signs new power of attorney document Checks or other documents signed/dated when resident is no longer able to write
6. Checks and Imbalances
- Suspicious signatures (e.g. many versions of a resident’s signature or one that was shaky is suddenly firm or vice versa)
- Checks or other documents signed/dated when resident is no longer able to write
- Resident’s checkbook or check register shows checks made out to “cash” frequently and/or check numbers out of sequence
- Telephone card or telephone bill fees for calls not made by the resident or otherwise unauthorized by the resident (called “cramming”)
- Credit card charges for items not purchased by the resident
- Erratic use of personal needs allowance by family member or fiduciary
- Gifts (either frequent or costly) to staff or volunteers
- Sales of valuables to facility staff or volunteers.
Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau