The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina continues to promote the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Elder Justice Initiative (EJI) throughout the Wake County area.  On July 22, 2019, the Eastern District partnered with Meals on Wheels in Wake County to conduct Phase II of its outreach to approximately 1,300 seniors in the area to raise awareness about DOJ’s Elder Justice Initiative and provide facts about financial exploitation and how seniors can protect themselves from falling victim.

Below are some facts shared with the community about financial exploitation:

• Examples of financial exploitation include:
  • Using ATM cards without permission
  • Forging a signature on a check or property title (wills, deeds)
  • Using a power of attorney to benefit oneself rather than the older adult
  • Unauthorized sales, such as a family ring or the family farm
  • Threats to harm precious property if money is not handed over
• How to protect yourself from financial exploitation
  • Check your financial statements each month
  • Store financial materials in a locked drawer or out of sight
  • Talk to your bank about age-friendly banking options
  • Contact a civil legal attorney before signing documents
  • Visit ftc.gov every year to get your free credit reports

The mission of the Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate DOJ’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to prevent and combat elder abuse, neglect, financial exploitation and scams that target our nation’s seniors by promoting justice for older adults; helping older victims and their families; enhancing state and local efforts through training and resources; and supporting research to improve elder abuse policy and practice.

For more information about DOJ’s efforts to prevent and combat elder abuse, please visit the Elder Justice Website at https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.  Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. You can also contact the Victim Connect Hotline between 9am-6pm, Monday through Friday, at: 1- 855-4VICTIM (1-855-4842846), or contact the Elder Justice Coordinator at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina at (919) 856-4530.