AARP reports that there are more than 369,000 cases of financial abuse targeted at seniors across the country every year.
On the heels of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen spoke on Monday at Stockman Bank in Missoula, urging Montanans to watch out for scams and other forms of elder abuse.
“We're just trying to get people to stay vigilant and avoid getting scammed,” Knudsen said. “Seniors in Montana are very often the targets of scams because, honestly, seniors in Montana — they tend to be trusting, they tend to be polite. They tend to have things going for them that make them specifically vulnerable and targets to elder abuse.”
Knudsen said that because Montana has an older population than many other states, our citizens are particularly vulnerable. Elder abuse can take many forms, from financial scams to neglect to physical abuse.
“They usually have some financial savings. They usually own a home. They usually have good credit. All these things make them attractive to scammers,” he said. “To combat this problem here in Montana, my office. We created the Elder Justice Unit. We actually went to the Legislature and we asked them to give us a dedicated, full-time elder justice prosecutor.”
That prosecutor, Mike Fanning, and the Elder Justice Unit help root out elder abuse across the state. With the rise of technology like artificial intelligence, they see a lot of internet-based financial crimes. Common scams include criminals posing as grandchildren, romantic partners or officials and asking seniors for money over the phone or social media.
“What we do is we serve as a resource to law enforcement and prosecutors, but my office is open to the public,” Fanning said. “All the time and, honestly, this morning, I've gotten two calls already from individuals saying ‘I saw you at the presentation in St. Regis or St. Ignatius. Can you help me? I have a problem. My mother has been exploited. Can you help me?’ And that's what we do. We are here to serve the citizens of Montana.”
Knudsen was also joined by representatives from the Montana Department of Health and Human Services’ Adult Protective Services and Stockman Bank. They all urged Montanans to watch out for some of our most vulnerable community members.
“Nationally, it is estimated that one in every 10 adults over the age of 60 has experienced some form of abuse, neglect or exploitation. Think about that for a minute. That's one in 10 of your neighbors, friends and family members. Even more shocking, experts believe that for every one case of elder abuse that is reported, as many as 23 go completely undetected,” said Lianna Waller, a Missoula section supervisor with Adult Protective Services. “This is not a distant problem. It is happening right here in our beautiful state.”
Stopping elder abuse, Waller said, falls on more than senior citizens and police. She encouraged Montanans to keep an eye out for the seniors in their lives and any signs of abuse, including sudden changes in mood, appearance or finances.
To help avoid financial scams, the speakers advise Montanans to remain skeptical of unknown calls and messages, not to send money to strangers, and to monitor accounts regularly. They also urge people to report concerns to continue the fight against elder abuse.
“Please talk to senior citizens in your life and let them know how scammers or others may try to take advantage of them and the different ways they can be harmed,” Knudsen said. “Whether it's physically, emotionally, financially, we want to help.”
If you or someone you know has been the victim of elder abuse, you can contact the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Until at 406-444-1995 or online. Reports can also be made to Adult Protective Services at 844-277-9300 or on their website.
