Thursday, February 21, 2013

Police, Montana lawmakers to fight elder abuse


BILLINGS - Global stranger scams often prey on older generations, and with Montana's elderly population expected to double between now and 2030, seniors in the Treasure State are at high risk.

"We will rank fifth in the nation in the next few years as far as having the highest percentage of elderly people," explained Big Sky Senior Services Executive Director Denise Armstrong. "We are just ripe for the scam artists."

Big Sky Senior Services responds to several reports of elder abuse every week in Yellowstone County. Recently a social worker with BSSS, Linda Henry, encountered a woman who fell victim to one of those scams.

"In the last 12 months, she had paid out on three different occasions, checks anywhere from $350 to about $500 to companies that had contacted her by phone, offering to help protect her identity," explained Henry.

That scenario is far from uncommon. Of the 6,017 reports of elder abuse in Montana from 2011 to 2012, More than 20-percent were cases of exploitation.

"Unfortunately they're easy targets for financial exploitation and we see a lot of financial crimes when it comes to our seniors," explained Yellowstone County Attorney Scott Twito. "Especially here in Yellowstone County."

It's not always strangers who target elders, in fact more of than not the abuser is a family member.

Full Article & Source:
Police, Montana lawmakers to fight elder abuse

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Yes, he is right, there are more siblings who exploit their parents, than a stranger. Sadly though, in Oregon = the Clackamas County D.A. considers it a civil matter. I have suffered abuse and fraud for 12 years, with no end in sight. When I went public with this tyranny, I was fined $55,000.00 for defamation. (to speak the truth???_Now they are after me to pay up...I have no assets- how do they expect me to pay for speaking the truth under the First Amendment??