In August Trace Investigations' background screening staff will be exhibiting at the annual conference hosted by the Indiana Society of Human Resources, the largest regional event of its kind in the U.S., from August 12-14 at the Indiana Convention Center.
"Information is power only if you can take action with it. Then, and only then, does it represent knowledge and, consequently, power."
- Daniel Burrus
We are grateful to have the opportunity to provide you with this valuable information. We take special care to ensure the information we provide you in "Tracings" is the latest and most current information available. In this edition, we report on elder fraud and abuse and offer numerous resources for recognizing and preventing the numerous scams and schemes that prey on the elderly.
The goal of this e-newsletter is to provide you with critical information that will help you prevail in your business affairs wherever fact finding is an essential component. We will share what we have learned in our 30+ years as professional investigators and intelligence analysts.
We want to write about topics that will assist you in succeeding in your business endeavors. Please e-mail us your topics of interest to tracings@traceinvestigations.com.
We encourage you to share our e-newsletter with others in your sphere of influence.
Sincerely,
The Trace Team
Elder Fraud and Abuse: Scams, Cons and Grifts 2019
Although wide spread around the country, most crimes against the elderly go unreported. Many senior citizens are alone and isolated or suffer from diminished cognition, while others are simply too trusting of the supposed kindness of strangers or even members of their own family. Often times, shame and embarrassment will prevent them from reporting crime or abuse before it's too late. Assets will have disappeared, including money and real estate, or a death occurs surrounded by mysterious circumstances.
Over the years, Trace Investigations has assisted family members or estate and probate attorneys in addressing elder fraud and abuse. We have been fortunate in most of these cases to have been retained in time to prevent substantial losses of assets and other abuse. Among the many cases: a caregiver who was attempting to take over the bank accounts of her charge; a former student who was exploiting the generosity of a retired professor suffering from dementia; the former companion of a man who passed intestate, yet she showed up with a forged will naming her as his sole heir. The list goes on but many times we are called in too late, after the money is gone and the perpetrator is "in the wind."
There are numerous resources from government and private sector sources for seniors and their families in recognizing and preventing frauds and scams, including the following:
The Federal Bureau of Investigation's website has a section which discusses scams and fraud schemes that target seniors and provides a link to the U.S. Senate's Special Committee on Aging's resource page: https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-fraud-schemes/seniors.
The Department of Justice's Elder Justice Initiative provides numerous resources for recognizing and fighting elder fraud and abuse: https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
The National Criminal Justice Reference Center has a special feature on abuse by caregivers, domestic violence, fraud and financial abuse, training resources and tools, and additional information and resources: https://www.ncjrs.gov/elderabuse/.
The more we know about the numerous and ever-growing scams, cons and grifts that prey not only on senior citizens but all of us, the better prepared we are. In all such matters "Knowledge is Power."
If you suspect a fraud or scam against a senior, call Trace Investigations at (812) 334-8857 or email tina@traceinvestigations.com.
About Us
At Trace Investigations, Inc. we provide our clients with fact-finding and resource sharing to benefit each individual client with answers and information, in a work product designed to lead clients to wiser decisions and better outcomes.
We serve regional, national and international legal and business clients that have special investigation and research needs in the state of Indiana.
Our purpose is to eliminate doubt in fact-finding, doubt that could jeopardize the outcome of a serious matter.
We believe in providing a high quality of professional services to our clients, services that recognize an ever-changing landscape in law and technology. We will operate in an honest and transparent manner with our clients, dedicated to a code of ethics and committed to the rule of law. Our team of experienced investigators and research analysts are dedicated to protecting our clients' best interests... Learn more
At Trace Investigations, Inc. we provide our clients with fact-finding and resource sharing to benefit each individual client with answers and information, in a work product designed to lead clients to wiser decisions and better outcomes.