Center For Combating Elder Financial Abuse

The Center For Combating Elder Financial Abuse is excited to participate in the Pennsylvania VetCon in Pittsburgh on September 4 - 7! Thank you very much Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and Pennsylvania National Guard Association!

The Center For Combating Elder Financial Abuse was thrilled to participate in the National Night Out in Culpeper Virginia last night! Thank you very much Culpeper County Parks & Recreation and the Culpeper County Sheriff's Office!

On July 31, 2024, five individuals were indicted for allegedly stealing more than $27 million from over 2,000 seniors. The attached DOJ press release describes that the individuals allegedly used pop-up ads, social engineering, and other techniques against the elderly victims. The Center For Combating Elder Financial Abuse will continue to follow this case.

Five Chinese Nationals Indicted for Scamming Seniors Out of More Than $27 Million SAN DIEGO – An indictment was unsealed today alleging that five individuals participated in a massive, complex fraud and money laundering scheme that resulted in losses of more than $27 million to over 2,000 seniors.

On July 30, 2024, three individuals were indicted for participating in a "tech support" scheme and allegedly stole approximately $3.5 million from more than 1000 victims. These "tech support" schemes seem to be more and more prevalent. I urge seniors and their loved ones to have conversations about what to do if a "pop-up window" comes on the computer screen and states that the computer is infected. A little preparation can make all the difference! The Center For Combating Elder Financial Abuse will continue to follow this case.

Three Men Indicted For Involvement In $3.5 Million Dollar Elder Fraud Scheme Impacting More Than 1,000 Alleged Victims Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Amit Ahuja, age 40, of Westminster, Maryland, Kapil Gulati, age 50, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, and Priyanshu Walia, age 39, of Cleveland, Ohio, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud in connection with a tec...

Thank you very much The Fairmont/Barclay House Senior Living Center, Manassas, Virginia for inviting me to speak today! I enjoyed sharing my presentation and gaining insight from the audience! Thank you again! Center For Combating Elder Financial Abuse

Thank you very much Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and the Delaware Valley Veterans Home for inviting the Center For Combating Elder Financial Abuse and students from West Chester University of PA for a tour yesterday! The students have done a superb job during their internship with our Center, and yesterday they had the opportunity to meet the military veterans they are helping to protect! Thanks again to everyone for a great tour!

Thank you very much Pennsylvania American Legion for inviting the Center For Combating Elder Financial Abuse to speak at the 105th Convention in Harrisburg last Friday! I enjoyed sharing how our Center works to help protect senior military veterans from elder financial abuse!

Thank you very much Culpeper Business Women for inviting Caroline Schwartz and me to The Culpeper! I enjoyed meeting everyone and sharing my presentation! Thank you again! John Schwartz

Thank you very much Culpeper Business Women and Elicia Belle for inviting the Center For Combating Elder Financial Abuse to speak at your meeting yesterday! Also, thank you for inviting Caroline Schwartz! Caroline has been crowned Miss Arlington and she will participate in the Miss Virginia Volunteer Pageant on August 2nd and 3rd. Caroline's platform is helping to combat elder financial abuse! Also, thank you Culpeper Foundation Fund and the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation for funding this training!

Thank you very much Brigadier General Maureen Weigl and the staff at the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs for hosting the Center For Combating Elder Financial Abuse and Dr. Michele Bratina's practicum students from West Chester University of PA! We are also very grateful that Ms. Kate Kleinert took time out of her schedule to join us and share her insight on elder financial abuse! I'm confident our conversation yesterday was a major step forward in protecting senior veterans in Pennsylvania from elder financial abuse - thank you everyone!

Thank you very much Darcy Canton for inviting me to speak at the Rappahannock Senior Center in Castleton, VA today! We had a great audience and I enjoyed sharing our presentation! The training was funded through a grant by the Richard Lykes Community Fund at the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation!! Center For Combating Elder Financial Abuse

Thank you Aging Together!!

There's still time to register for our free Dementia Friends session which is open to the public and happening on July 9th at noon! Learn about dementia, and how to help and interact with people who have dementia. Free registration here (scroll down to see where to register): https://www.agingtogether.org/upcoming-programs.html

I saw the movie "Thelma" today at the theater. I thought the movie did a great job portraying a "grandparent" scheme at the beginning! Center For Combating Elder Financial Abuse

Thank you very much Culpeper County Library for hosting the Center For Combating Elder Financial Abuse today! Our presentation was funded through a grant from the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation - thank you!

Thank you very much Steve Gurney and Positive Aging Community for having Brian Watson of R.O.S.E (Resources/Outreach to Safeguard the Elderly) and me on the webinar today! We had a great discussion and I enjoyed our collaboration! Please find a recording of our conversation on the link below. Center For Combating Elder Financial Abuse

Scams Against Older Adults Video posted by Positive Aging Community on Positive Aging SourceBook.

June 15th - World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Center For Combating Elder Financial Abuse

Tomorrow, June 15th, is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. What does elder financial abuse really look like? On Monday, June 10th, Samuel Bunner was sentenced to over 10 years in federal prison for stealing over $1.9 million from a man suffering from dementia. This is what elder financial abuse really looks like! Center For Combating Elder Financial Abuse https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/individual-sentenced-over-ten-years-elder-financial-fraud #:~:text=MARTINSBURG%2C%20WEST%20VIRGINIA%20%E2%80%93%20Samuel%20Kristofer,identity%20theft%20in%20February%202024.

Thank you Northern Piedmont Community Foundation for all that you do to support the community!!

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This Saturday, June 15th, is the thirteenth annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD). For background, the United Nations General Assembly recognized WEAAD on December 19, 2011. WEAAD is a great day for seniors and their loved ones to conduct a vulnerability assessment for elder financial abuse. Dr. Peter Lichtenberg and the Institute of Gerontology at Wayne State University has developed a 17-question survey that helps individuals quickly assess their vulnerability to elder financial abuse. This WEAAD, please consider taking a proactive step to protect yourself or a loved one from financial predators! Center For Combating Elder Financial Abuse

Financial Vulnerability Survey - Older Adult Nest Egg Worried that you are vulnerable to scams & fraud? Take our free Financial Vulnerability Survey. Provides risk score and next steps.

On June 6th, Roxanna Rae Lewis-Stella, age 60, was sentenced to 4.5 years in federal prison for stealing $700,000 from her elderly mother. This case illustrates that family members can also be financial predators. Center For Combating Elder Financial Abuse

Daughter who stole more than $700,000 from elderly mother in Lewistown while serving as caregiver sentenced to four and one-half years in prison Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

It was an honor to participate in a roundtable discussion with Dr. Michele Bratina and Dr. Jay Albanese today at the Northeastern Association of Criminal Justice Sciences Annual Conference in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania! Center For Combating Elder Financial Abuse

Thank you very much Gary Cody for inviting me to give the keynote address at the Southwest Virginia Legal Aid Society Elder Abuse Conference on Thursday in Abingdon, VA! Also, thank you very much Dr. Katalin Parti for taking time out of your busy schedule to join us! This truly was a great conference - thank you again! Center For Combating Elder Financial Abuse

Thank you very much The Wall Street Journal for sharing this article on elder financial abuse! Center For Combating Elder Financial Abuse

‘She Hooked Me’: How an Online Scam Cost a Senior Citizen His Life’s Savings She convinced him she was a rich young Chinese immigrant looking for love. After bleeding him dry, she ghosted him. He still longs for her.

Tennessee recently passed legislation to create an elder financial abuse hotline for banks. Center For Combating Elder Financial Abuse

TN bill creating 'Elder Financial Abuse Hotline' for banks passes unanimously in legislature, hoping to prevent scams impacting seniors The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation would be responsible for managing the hotline. It is aimed at protecting older people from financial exploitation, like scams.

Thank you Aging Together and Fauquier County Triad!! John Schwartz

Please join us for the June Fauquier County Triad program with Mental Health Association of Fauquier County.

Five individuals were arrested for targeting a World War II veteran in an investment scheme. According to the DOJ press release dated May 15, 2024, the group allegedly stole over $300,000 from a then 92-year-old veteran. The Center For Combating Elder Financial Abuse will closely follow this case.

Members of religious-based company charged in elder fraud scheme against WWII veteran Five individuals are now in custody following allegations they tricked an elderly man in his 90s out of over $300,000 in retirement funds

Thank you very much Elicia Belle, Ayana SummerlinRosa, and the NAACP-Culpeper Branch 7058 for inviting the Center For Combating Elder Financial Abuse to speak at the Culpeper County Library today! We had a great audience and the conversation was very insightful! Also, thank you Northern Piedmont Community Foundation and the Culpeper Foundation Fund for sponsoring this event!

Please join us for the June Fauquier County Triad program with Mental Health Association of Fauquier County.