| |
Daily DigestElection Day Approaching
 The last day for Massachusetts residents to register to vote in the Nov. 4 presidential election is Wednesday, Oct. 15. Out of town that day? Apply for an absentee ballot at your town or city clerk's office.
For more information or to find out if you are registered:
North Adams City Clerk: 413-662-3015
Williamstown Town Clerk: 413-458-9341 |
16. A ball atop a stone
17. Town and country |
Find out what's happening in the Berkshires |
| Need to contact iBerkshires? Here's how. |
ObituariesNewest VideosSales FliersWhat's PlayingColumnistsOutside the BerkshiresRelated Stories |
| |
Bankers And State Officials Enhance Elder Scam Prevention Program - June 20, 2008
BOSTON – To help commemorate World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, the Massachusetts Bankers Association (MBA), the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs today introduced an enhanced program to help train bank personnel to recognize and prevent financial exploitation of the elderly. In the Bay State, 137 banks have signed up for the MBA program known as the Massachusetts Bank Reporting Project.
The Executive Office of Elder Affairs is reporting a rise in the number of cases it handles in which financial exploitation of the elderly is listed as the primary allegation over other forms of abuse that might take place with the same victim. In fiscal year 1997 14% of confirmed cases were financial. In fiscal year 2007, 25% of confirmed cases had a financial exploitation component.
The Bank Reporting Project began a dozen years ago by the MBA, the Executive Branch, and the Attorney General’s Office. It was recognized nationally as a model of the type of measures that government and business can take to help prevent elders from abuse. With cooperation and encouragement from Governor Patrick’s Administration and Attorney General Martha Coakley, the program is now being enhanced with more training sessions for bankers and new consumer education materials in a concerted effort to thwart would-be financial abusers of the elderly.
“Prevention and education efforts are vital to protecting our seniors from scams and preventing fraud. Bank tellers and bank managers are on the front lines and are in a unique position to identify and report potential fraudulent activity,” said Attorney General Martha Coakley. “Because of the nature of these scams, and particularly in this tough economic climate, collaborative prevention efforts such as the Bank Reporting Project and training are especially important.”
“The prevention and detection of elder abuse and exploitation is essential to protecting older citizens in our communities,” said Secretary of Elder Affairs Michael E. Festa. “If you suspect an elder is a victim of financial exploitation, abuse, neglect or self-neglect, report it to Elder Affairs’ Elder Abuse Hotline at 1-800-922-2275.”
Financial exploitation can take many forms and is often carried out by a family member, acquaintance or fiduciary. There are also instances in which the con-artists, scammers, and coercion specialists tries to convince an elder to do something with their money that is out of the ordinary. It could be a criminal matter or simply undue coercion not in the best interest of vulnerable and trusting individuals.
Broader scams include, requests to forward a handling fee for winning the Canadian Lottery or instructions to forward money to cover the advance fee for winning a trip—phony enticements that can come through the mail, on the phone, or through email. As part of the project, bankers are trained to recognize unusual activity in an elder’s account and to ask them about it tactfully without intruding on their privacy.
“We want to protect elders while at the same time do our very best to respect their privacy,” said Kevin F. Kiley, executive vice president of the MBA and the director of the Bank Reporting Project. “We can accomplish this not only by thorough training, but by working very closely with protective service agencies across the state to whom we make referrals. The agencies step in, contact the elderly customer, and just make sure that everything is all right. If it isn’t, they know what to do to help the elderly victim sort it out or, if need be, report it to law enforcement.”
The goals of the newly enhanced program are: enhance the commitment to prevention; encourage a rapid and coordinated response; create a simple reporting protocol that maintains customer confidentiality; and establish greater cooperation between local banks and community protective services programs. There are 200 banks in the Commonwealth. Increased bank participation will improve public awareness about the extent of the problem, particularly through the use of new brochures which are available in the branches of participating banks.
“If we only help a few more people, no matter how many, it will all be worth it,” said Kiley.
The Attorney General’s Office has forged partnerships with elder organizations to raise the profile of elder protection issues and provide training to help law enforcement and elder care professionals identify, investigate, and assist in the prosecution of elder abuse and financial scams. Finding the answers to questions about elder issues can sometimes be confusing. Individuals can contact the Attorney General's Consumer Hotline at 617-727- 8400.
The Executive Office of Elder Affairs provides supports to elders and their caregivers through a statewide network of local elder services agencies known as Aging Services Access Points (ASAP). The Protective Services Program is administered through 22 of the ASAPs to prevent, detect and mitigate the impact of financial exploitation, abuse, neglect or self-neglect. For information on services for elders and their caregivers, call 1-800-AGE-INFO (1-800-243-4636) or visit: 800AGEINFO.com or mass.gov/elders. For those with hearing impairments, TTY: 1-800-872-0166. Elders may also access a variety of programs and activities through their local Councils on Aging. To report financial exploitation, abuse, neglect or self-neglect, call the Elder Abuse Hotline: 1-800-922-2275. |
Financial exploitation is also sometimes "legal" via an unlawful and abusive guardianship.
Guardianship is a good law gone bad. The laws designed to "guard" the incapacitated person, "conserve" his/her assets and "prevent" him/her from becoming a public charge are instead used to exploit the very people the court-appointed fiduciaries are supposed to be protecting.
The guardians and attorneys get rich while giving their wards the shaft.
And here's the ironic twist: guardianship wards lose all their rights, including the all important right to complain about being abused.
Don't believe it? Visit the National Association to STOP Guardian Abuse at www.StopGuardianAbuse.org and read the victim stories. And read NASGA's blog at http://NASGA-StopGuardianAbuse.blogspot.com.
If we don't stop this insideous "crime", then we all risk falling victim when we become vulnerable.
Yours,
Elaine Renoire
NASGA | | from: Elaine Renoire | on: 06-21-2008 |
|
|
Enter your email address below to receive our FREE iBerkshires.com Newsletter
|
