Financial Abuse

Financial abuse includes the theft or misuse of someone’s money or property by a trusted individual.  This includes the following activities:

• Committing fraud.
• Getting money by lying about why it is needed.
• Forging checks.
• Cashing someone else’s check without permission.
• Using someone’s ATM card without permission.
• Forcing someone to change his or her will.
• Forcing someone to transfer property.
• Keeping someone away from his or her own home or money.
• Providing healthcare services to a client that are not really needed.
• Promising care in exchange for money and then not following through.

Know the signs!  Keep an eye out for clients who:

• Can’t pay their bills for housing, food, basic clothing or medications even though they seem like they should have money to do so.
• Get credit card bills for stores they have never been to.
• Suddenly have new “best friends.”
• Talk about having to give money to others.
• Seem anxious about—or don’t know—where their money is going.
• Have a family member who complains constantly about how much the client’s care is costing.
• Have family members who appear suddenly and claim they have a right to the client’s money.