ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER
Protecting You and Your Loved Ones From Scams Against Seniors
Financial elder abuse takes many forms and comes from many different directions. Elder victims lose their life savings, pensions, and homes through these scams and are left struggling to pay bills. Sadly, many are left with little money to pay their monthly bills, have had their utilities shut off for nonpayment, or even lost their homes entirely. The consequences of financial elder abuse in any form and from any corner can be devastating.
The Santa Clara County and California financial elder abuse attorneys at Evans Law Firm, Inc. represent senior victims who have lost money due to scams from caregivers, insurance agents and financial advisors, fiduciaries and other acquaintances. Whatever the fraud and whoever the perpetrator, our financial elder abuse lawyers pursue all remedies available to victimized seniors under the California Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act and other statutes designed to protect California seniors from financial elder abuse. If you or someone you know is the victim of financial elder abuse in Santa Clara County or elsewhere in California, call Evans Law Firm today at 415-441-8669.
Tips on Prevention
Here are some important factors to consider in order to protect yourself or a senior loved one from scams targeting the elderly:
- Financial elder abuse can come from strangers or persons a senior trusts to care for them. Tactics include depleting a bank account, promising help or care for money but not delivering, intimidation or undue influence to get a senior to make gifts or change a will, and other forms of abuse.
- Don’t isolate. An isolated senior is a particularly vulnerable target. Don’t withdraw from the larger community and stay active in church groups, seniors centers, the Y, or other local support groups. If you are a loved one of a senior, stay involved in his or her life and stop by often.
- Always refuse solicitations and don’t donate if it requires you to give credit card information unless you know the charity and have supported it in the past. If you are pressured for an instant decision on anything, say no.
- Shred all receipts with your credit card number on them. Identity theft is big business.
- Never give your Social Security number, credit card or banking information or Medicare or insurance information over the phone unless you initiated the call.
- Sign up for the “Do Not Call list and remove yourself from mailing lists.
- Use direct deposit for benefit checks to prevent checks being stolen from your mail.
- Take a trusted friend or family member to business meetings or for any occasion where you need to make an important decision or a purchase decision.
- If you need a Power of Attorney, we advise that you nominate two persons you trust to act jointly as your Attorney-in fact.
Remember that financial elder abuse can strike anywhere and from pretty much anyone. Act when you first suspect abuse. If you live in California and are suspicious that financial elder abuse is occurring to someone you love or have yourself already been victimized, call the experienced financial elder abuse attorneys at Evans Law Firm, Inc., and we can help. While we encourage you to call the authorities as well, always pursue all available remedies with the help of qualified counsel.
Remedies for Victimized Seniors
California leads the nation in protections for seniors against financial elder abuse. The State’s laws afford broad civil remedies to seniors– compensatory damages, the award of mandatory attorneys’ fees and all other remedies otherwise provided by law. These other remedies may include punitive damages and treble damages where the broker is guilty of oppression, fraud, or malice. Seniors are often reluctant to come forward either because they are embarrassed by what has happened to them or because they do not understand their rights under California law. If you are a senior or the loved one of a senior who has been the victim of financial elder abuse, don’t hesitate to come forward. The financial elder abuse attorneys at Evans Law Firm, Inc. can represent you from investigation and filing a complaint and through discovery and trial, and toward a resolution.
Contact Us
If you or a loved one been the victim of financial elder abuse or securities fraud whether in Santa Clara County or anywhere else in California, contact California financial elder abuse attorney Ingrid Evans and the other Evans Law Firm financial elder abuse attorneys at (415) 441-8669, or by email at <a href=”mailto:info@evanslaw.com”>info@evanslaw.com</a>. Our attorneys have experience with all types of financial elder abuse, investment and securities fraud and annuity fraud. We can help guide your case through a bench or jury trial, or toward an equitable settlement. We handle cases involving physical and financial elder abuse, qui tam and whistleblower law, nursing home abuse, whole life insurance and universal life insurance, and indexed, variable, and fixed annuities.
