Why identity thieves target older adults, and how to fight back
Today, people over age 50 control 70 percent of our nation's wealth. This sets older adults up for a variety of theft schemes and scams, not because they're older and weaker, but simply because they have the money, and thieves know it.
Unfortunately, well over two-thirds of the financial crimes committed against older adults are perpetrated by someone the victim has a relationship with -- a family member or paid or unpaid caregiver. This, combined with shame and embarrassment, leads to a significant underreporting of these crimes, says Kim Connors, deputy district attorney in Santa Clara County, California, who prosecutes financial crimes against older adults.
"People are often hesitant to report these crimes to law enforcement because they know the person doing it," Connors says, "and they often really care about this person, and have a hard time separating the person they care about from the person who would commit a crime against them." While it may seem tempting to deal with a matter privately, or through the civil courts, the best way to handle any suspected theft or fraud is to make a report to the local police department, Connors says.
The first step: reporting a theft.This can be a daunting prospect for older adults, but many local police departments and county prosecutors have special units specifically established to handle crimes committed against them. In addition, insurance companies won't investigate a theft claim unless the victim has made a police report. So the first step, as hard as it may be, is to call the local police department nonemergency line and ask that an officer be sent out to take a report. These officers are often willing to come to the person's home, so the older adult can tell her story in familiar surroundings. Another option is to call the county Adult Protective Services department. In many counties, this is part of the county Health Department. The department has social workers and other professionals adept at handling these matters, and they can help get the process started.
Dealing with shame over being victimized. The most difficult hurdle in reporting theft against an older adult is the victim's sense of personal shame and embarrassment over her own perceived failings. "People over 65 tend to be very responsible," says Connors. "Often, instead of reporting a crime, they'll sit down and think, 'What did I do wrong that I shouldn't let happen again?' They're embarrassed and take responsibility for the loss, and they see it as their own mistake. They need someone to tell them it's OK, that this isn't their fault."
Others may feel too much time has passed to report the crime. But in most states, authorities can still successfully prosecute crimes, especially financial ones where there's a paper trail, years after they're committed. In California, for example, authorities can prosecute crimes up to four years after an older adult discovers she's been victimized.
The next step: a detective gets involved. After a police officer takes an initial report, he gives that information to a detective, who will do the followup work. This often entails gathering the paperwork that will show a crime has been committed. If the victim knows who committed the theft, she'll likely be shown a photo lineup of suspects and be asked the pick the person who committed the crime. Again, in most cases, much of this can be done without going into the local police department. Investigations can be short, covering just a few days, or they can take months, depending on the crime and the resources of your local agency.
Once the detective has finished his work and there's enough evidence to prosecute, the matter is turned over to the county district attorney's office. Again, most counties have special units to prosecute crimes against older adults.
A Care-giver robbed my family. She was from Guatemala. She worked for the county of Los Angeles. She was assigned to help my mother who was disabled and 76 years old when she died. She had lived there 17 years (my father died several weeks after they first moved in in 1992.). My mother and father lived in the Los Angeles area since they were born in L.A. they Lived in Inglewood then Hawthorne area since my birth 53 years ago. My mother who lived in an apartment in Hawthorne died January 4, 2008. My family and I did not find out about her death until January 20, 2008. The apartment she lived in was cleaned out. I had spent much of 2008 in the Veterans hospital fighting for my life. I was unable to pursue this problem until now. I contacted all many news organizations, newspapers, radio stations to tell my story. Not one of them would answer me. I also filed a police report when this first all occurred. Nothing happened. I contacted the L.A. Grand Jury, they replied later in a letter, they did not have enough evidence. I filed in small claims court. A representative of the apartment Management Company came for the apartment and present a handwritten letter that stated my mother signed over her belongings to the care-giver. She also said she had the power of attorney (that was no good after my mother death.. and was only for helping my mother..) The Apartment management said that she was in HUD Subsidized building (which means she was low income and had help from the county for lower rent..) and social standing should not have had anything to do with a person in the USA! But the judge allowed this testimony from this scumbag. This dirtbag also went on to say she was only on social security which was a lie, my mother was also on a US Navy pension that was from my father who was a disabled veteran. The apartment management representative also said the manager only had the care-giver's name and my brother's name. The apartment manager did not have my name and address, I am the oldest son of two surviving sons. The apartment management representative said that they tried to contact my brother and he had not responded. I told them that the care-giver had taken all the papers home and shredded them.. all bank records, all personal papers, all everything, and admitted to all this when I confronted her! She had even said her husband helped her! The court was in a hurry to get this case over and tell me to go away! The judge ordered the case to be ordered to be in the defendant's case and whisked us (myself, my daughter, nephew, and his wife) out of the courtroom! I saw thieves, murderer's and gang members get better deals there, while I waited for my case to be called! This was at the Inglewood court in Los Angeles County on January 13, 2009. I am very sick and the agony this has been causing me is beyond words. While I was awaiting surgery laying in bed, then laying in a hospital bed for much of 2008, then laying in a hospital bed back at home eating again after being tube fed for many months and learning to walk again, I had to deal this this huge injustice. My conclusion is the justice system is rotten to the core! My daughter has learned how rotten our justice system is now they she saw it first hand! I hope it gets dismantled. To Hell with it! Corrupt!
I know of two caregives Teresita Garcia and Deric Garcia and the reason why i list there names is because Teresita Garcia is wanted by the police. She was working as a care giver in her late boss home Dr. Edwin Shneidman and stole and forged $100,000.00 worth of check and other things of value. care givers are people you are suppose to trust in your home and he was really sadden that this person came in and took advantage of him because he is a wealthy person. Police in west Los Angeles are encouring her to turn herself in but she snd he husband conitnue to work as caregivers in these poeples home and robbed them for what they have. They mostly work in the west los angeles area or Hollywood and must be stopped. She has been on the run for 2 years and still has not been caught and family and freinds cannot locate her. They continue to work in these home thinking that they will not get caught and it is Belived the Teresita is working under an alias to abaid police.
My father just passed away from cancer. I was his only child. A woman and her husband he meet 9 months earlier who started helping with basic household chores supposedly befriended him. Upon his death I found out that less than 2 months before his death the woman and a local lawyer had him create a new will which left everything, including family heirlooms, to her and her husband. None of this was mentioned in any phone conversation to family members as recent as a month before his death. Approximately 1 ½ years before his death he showed me a will that stated I was beneficiary and his bank account which was around 70k. I talking to a friend of my fathers, he believes there was a strong case of deception including missing records and large checks cashed by this woman from his banking account for items such as lottery tickets and non existing items. He has also mention that she has befriended another elderly gentleman in the area. I do not want to see this happen to someone else! This happened in a small town, therefore when my wife and I talked to a local detective he wrote nothing down and called the perpetrator by her first name. There is not a large some of money involved other than the bank account and a home bought several years ago at $145,000.00. The only things I am looking for from this action is, again, to make sure these people do not victimizes someone else. Were can I turn to get legal assistance. I am a family man on a limited income who can’t afford to pursue this on my own due to finances. Chuck Dayton,Ohio
I have done all these things! I finally decided yesterday to report it to all the local news stations and local newspapers. Here is a copy of what I sent. Headliner: Who protects the elderly?!?! I am looking for some answers and some help. I found my grandmother after 25 years stuck in a nursing home and brought her here to live close to me. While doing all this I have been trying to find out how she ended up there and what happened to everything she's ever owned. I found out that a woman that proclaimed to be her friend and help her gained my grandmother's trust and took her for EVERYTHING SHE OWNED! She even had gotten my grandmother to put her on her checking account where my grandmothers pension and SS checks had been direct deposited. I went and got legal guardian over her to be able to investigate and do anything to help her. What gets me is that this woman didn't have guardianship nor needed it. She closed out my grandmothers account and took all the money and had been spending it over the course of approximatly a year. The whole time my grandmother with dementia is in the nursing home and is blind and can't move! It REALLY disturbs me that the law is for the thieves! No one can help my grandmother by getting her money or her belongings unless she hires a attorney here and in Houston. My grandmother has NO money and I have provided everyone, Social Security, Houston Police Dept, and Adult protective services with all the evidence and proof and a address for this woman and NO ONE WILL DO A THING! PLEASE HELP!