Identity Theft and the Elderly in the US Essay Example

promising unrealistically high returns.

Common fraudulent investments include fake gemstones, worn-out assets, or stocks in non-existent or worthless companies. Charitable donations are often misused through scams targeting the elderly. Exploiting people's willingness to help others, criminals often request donations for fictional charities or spiritual organizations, sometimes using sweepstakes or lotteries as a ruse. Criminals also exploit the need for home and car repairs by promoting fake emergency repair services that require a deposit upfront.

The individuals involved in fraudulent activities often fail to complete their work or provide satisfactory results. These frauds include maintenance, driveway development, waterproofing, and pest control. Typically, these criminals are temporary and move between different locations. Deceptive auto mechanics may misinform customers about necessary repairs or charge for services that were not requested or completed. To exploit seniors who face financial difficulties due to medical expenses or home repairs, loans and mortgages are commonly used in this type of fraud. Unscrupulous leaders offer high-interest loans, hidden fees, and repayment schedules that exceed the elderly's financial capabilities, putting their homes at risk as collateral.

Insurance fraud is prevalent in health, funeral, and life insurance. Many older individuals worry about having enough funds to afford necessary medical care, a proper burial, or to leave something for their loved ones after death. Unscrupulous salespeople take advantage of these concerns by promoting deceptive plans that either replace current coverage, provide insufficient coverage, or are altogether fake. Health treatments are also exploited in fraudulent schemes, considering that the elderly often require medical attention for various ailments.

Offenders take advantage of this vulnerability by promoting ineffective medications that promise miraculous treatments. Unfortunately, many seniors fall for this false hope and delay

receiving proper care, resulting in a deterioration of their health. In addition, there are fraudulent activities in the travel industry. Seniors, who often have more free time, are attracted to low-cost vacation packages. However, many of these packages are overpriced and provide subpar accommodations or fail to deliver the promised services. Confidence scams are another form of fraud that specifically target the elderly. These scams involve a wide range of deceptive tactics aimed at obtaining money from seniors, without offering any actual product or service (McWaters ; Ford, 2007).

The criminal may pretend to be in a position of power or trust, fabricating a story in order to deceive the victim into giving them money before disappearing. An example of this is when scammers of gambling schemes claim to have won a sweepstake but have no bank account to deposit the winnings. The criminal convinces the victim to let them use their bank account in exchange for promised payments. After the victim makes payments to the criminal in good faith, they never hear from them again. Successful scams often involve gaining the victim's trust by using a trade name similar to that of a reputable organization or by expressing concern for the well-being of older individuals.

The text below highlights how scammers manipulate senior citizens by creating the illusion of exclusivity and scarcity, persuading them to make immediate decisions without consulting others. They caution victims not to disclose any operational details privately to evade detection from family members or concerned individuals. These fraudulent activities occur swiftly and with minimal risk of exposure.

Factors contributing to financial crimes against the elderly

One factor that contributes to monetary crimes against

the elderly is underreporting.

There are various reasons why deception is significantly underreported. One reason is the failure to provide information, which means important parties such as the police, adult protective services, relatives, and others remain unaware of the abuse. This lack of reporting also hinders problem-oriented efforts because there isn't enough information available about the objectives, strategies, and culprits involved in these offenses (Annual Review of Antitrust Law Developments 2008, 2009). Lastly, the hidden nature of these crimes allows offenders to continue victimizing others. Many elderly victims choose not to report fraud due to feelings of shame or fear that they will be seen as incapable of caring for themselves – potentially leading to their placement in a nursing home or long-term care facility.

Many people who have been abused lack information about available support resources or face difficulties accessing them. In cases of financial abuse, victims often have close relationships with the abuser and may feel protective towards them. They may want to stop the exploitation and reclaim their belongings without seeking any consequences for the offender. Additionally, numerous victims also feel partially responsible for the abuse.

When elderly individuals experience financial scams or exploitation and report their losses, it can often be difficult to thoroughly investigate the situation. If the victim has cognitive impairment, they may not remember important details or be able to clearly recount the sequence of events. Interviewers should prioritize empathy for the victims, allowing them enough time and providing reminders to aid in accurate recall. Otherwise, the information provided may lack important specifics. Additionally, elderly individuals who are both cognitively and physically impaired may feel overwhelmed when visiting law enforcement or

court locations.

The text suggests that challenging instances of deception and financial abuse may require significant time to reach trial, which could result in a decline in the cognitive or physical health of a particularly vulnerable victim, rendering them unable to provide testimony (McNally, 2012). This is often accompanied by the phenomenon of revictimization, which commonly occurs in cases of financial exploitation by close relatives or caregivers. Perpetrators rarely settle for a single act of theft, opting instead for incremental transactions that gradually escalate in value. If left unchecked, this pattern culminates in the complete transfer or depletion of the victim's assets, leaving them without any financial means of support. Additionally, the text highlights the importance of identifying victim vulnerabilities in such cases.

Elderly individuals who fall victim to deception are often portrayed as uninformed and socially isolated. They may also be suffering from mental decline, which can hinder their ability to detect deceit. Elder deception and financial exploitation are known to be influenced by dementia and other cognitive impairments. When victims have advanced impairments, their ability to respond effectively is limited. Research has indicated that individuals with active social lives and diverse customer interactions may be particularly susceptible to deception due to increased exposure. Conversely, socially isolated individuals are also at risk because they are less likely to seek advice prior to making a purchase. Furthermore, the absence of social interaction in sales environments can create a sense of obligation for them to comply or refrain from providing feedback. Despite some similarities with elderly deception victims, older people who experience abuse from family members or caregivers possess different perspectives.

There is no desire for financial gain, and

there may be fear of the criminal's potential actions if their demands are not met. Additionally, there may be emotional attachments to the criminal that create conflicting feelings about reporting abuse and cause defensiveness once the abuse is uncovered (Kozol, 2015).

Steps to prevent elderly individuals from becoming victims

It is crucial to ensure that caregivers for the elderly are trustworthy. Unfortunately, a significant amount of identity theft is not committed by strangers, especially when it concerns older individuals who are more likely to have caregivers with varying levels of competence who have access to their homes and personal belongings (Cole, 2014).

It is essential for the adult child of a senior who needs care to remain cautious and vigilant about any suspicious behavior. They should also conduct a thorough background check whenever necessary. Moreover, it is crucial to secure important credentials and personal as well as financial documents in a secure location, such as a home safe or a protected deposit box at a reputable bank. This precaution becomes even more important to prevent intruders from scamming vulnerable seniors. Leaving mail or a checkbook in plain sight on countertops increases the risk of theft, which could lead to identity theft. Additionally, the caregiver should closely monitor the senior's financial activities.

Older citizens are targets for scams, especially involving their money and possessions. As more elders go online, they not only face the risk of mail and telemarketing scams but also become vulnerable to email scams. Many of these scams involve sending money or providing credit card information. Keeping track of a relative's financial details can help caregivers detect any potential deception as it occurs (Greenwood, 2007). Some scammers

targeting the elderly offer free or low-cost medical experiments or products and request credit card or bank account information to receive the item. Therefore, it is essential for caregivers to ensure that seniors understand the risks of identity theft.

Reference

1. Weisman, S. (2014). Identity theft alert: 10 rules you must follow to protect yourself from America's #1 crime.
2. Meulen, N. S. (2011). Financial identity theft: Context, challenges and countermeasures. The Hague: T.M.C. Asser Press.
3. Greenwood, G. (2007). Identity theft: In your good name : a Canadian perspective. West Vancouver, B.C: Talus Pub. Group.
4. Cole, G.

F. (2014). American system of criminal justice. Place of publication not identified: Cengage Learning.
United States. (2007).

The text consists of two references, one for a book titled "American system of criminal justice" published by F. in 2014, and another reference for an unidentified place of publication by United States in 2007.The text discusses identity theft and its innovative solutions, specifically focusing on a hearing held by the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology, and Homeland Security of the Committee on the Judiciary in the United States Senate. The hearing took place during the One Hundred Tenth Congress, first session on March 21, 2007. This information is from a publication by U.S. G.P.O titled "Identity theft: Innovative solutions for an evolving problem." Additionally, there is a separate source written by McNally, M.M. in 2012 which explores identity theft in today's world.

Santa Barbara, Calif: Praeger.

Annual Review of Antitrust Law Developments 2008. (2009). Amer Bar Assn.

United States. (2008).

The mistreatment of older people is analyzed in this text, which discusses a hearing held by the Special Committee on Aging of the United

States Senate. This hearing took place in Washington, DC on July 18, 2007 during the first session of the One Hundred Tenth Congress. Additionally, it mentions a publication titled "Identity theft: Trends and issues" written by Finklea, K. M. and published by the Library of Congress in 2010.

The text details a congressional hearing held in Washington, D.C. by the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security of the Committee on the Judiciary in 2007. The primary objective of this hearing was to tackle three specific acts: the Native American Methamphetamine Enforcement and Treatment Act of 2007, the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act of 2007, and the Preventing Harassment Through Outbound Number Enforcement (PHONE) Act of 2007. Numerous representatives from various government agencies took part in this dialogue.

137, and H.R. 740, February 6, 2007. Washington: U.S. G.P.O.

McWaters, G., ; Ford, G.

(2007). The Canadian guide to protecting yourself from identity theft and other fraud. Toronto: Insomniac Press.

and Abroad. Authorhouse.

The State of criminal justice 2007-2008. (2008). Chicago: American Bar Association.

Kozol, J. (2015).

My father's memory loss has been gradually happening.

There was a hearing on May 4, 2011, conducted by the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade of the Committee on Energy and Commerce in the United States. The purpose of this hearing was to address the risk that data theft poses to American consumers.

"The threat of data theft to American consumers: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, first session, May 4, 2011" is a publication documenting this specific hearing. It was authored by United States

and Vladeck, D., based in Washington: U.S.

G.P.O.