Preventing and Combating Elder Financial Abuse in Hawaii

     It's difficult to accurately capture the scope of financial abuse suffered by the elderly because it's often underreported.  However, it's estimated that every year over 7 million people over the age of 65 fall victim to financial scams.   And the amount pilfered?  Nearly $3 billion annually.  Simply staggering.  
     But what makes the elderly more susceptible to scams that, to a reasonable person, are obviously fraudulent?  An NPR article titled "Why It's Easier to Scam the Elderly", explains that research has recently suggested that a reason may be that senior citizens may have a harder time reading facial cues that are associated with untrustworthiness.  The elderly study subjects also underwent brain scans that revealed they had less activity in the region of the brain that processes risk and danger.  Another theory is that the elderly had a "positivity bias", meaning that they make a greater effort to look on the bright side of life and, therefore, may believe that outlandish claims could be true.
     Whatever the reason, the question remains: How do we help prevent our parents and grandparents from falling victim to unscrupulous people?  Unfortunately, there is no magic answer.  We can't control a person's actions and it'd be unreasonable to have our loved ones under 24/7 surveillance.  Protection lies in being vigilant, remaining involved in our loved one's life, and minimizing risk.
     A recent AARP survey found that elderly victims of financial scams put themselves in sales situations or open physical junk mail more often than the general population.  In other words, they are their own worse enemies.  Therefore, we can, as caretakers, do the following to help reduce the opportunities for scams:

• Register our loved one's phone number with the Do No Call Registry.  Remind them not to answer calls from unknown numbers.
  
• Sign up with the Direct Marketing Association to decrease the amount of junk mail.  Throw out the junk mail that does make it through.
  
• Sort through incoming mail to spot any suspicious looking mail.
  
• Check their credit report.  Everyone is entitled to one free annual credit report.
  
• Don't allow your loved one to attend "free lunch/dinner" seminars that promise great investment returns.  They will often be subject to high-pressure sales tactics.
  

     Strangers are not the only perpetrators of elder financial abuse.  Sadly, exploitation from friends and family members were the second most reported incidents.    
     If you suspect a senior citizen is or has been a victim of financial abuse, call 911 to report the crime to police, call the prosecutor's office (phone number 768-6452) and call Adult Protective Services at the following numbers:
     Oahu................................................832-5115
     Kauai................................................241-3337
     Maui/Lanai......................................243-5151
     Molokai............................................553-1763
     Kau/Kona/Kohala/Kamuela............327-6280
     Hilo/Hamakua/Puna........................933-8820
     Make the case known to the police, prosecutor's and Adult Protective Services.  Getting a record of the abuse into the system is the first step.  Though they're at the back end of the process, the prosecutor's office will help guide the case along and coordinate with the police and Adult Protective Services.  You can learn more about financial elder abuse and elder abuse in general at the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney's Elder Abuse Unit webpage.  We all need to make an effort and take responsibility to help protect our kupuna.