East Lyme — State Attorney General William Tong, joined by state and local representatives, visited East Lyme Senior Center on Thursday to share personal stories and examples of elder abuse, and to spotlight the importance of calling the Elder Justice Hotline.
Tong said the amount of scam activity, financial abuse and physical abuse has increased by 30% year over year. In an effort to coordinate investigations and resources at the state level, the centralized hotline number, 1 (860) 808-5555, was introduced to the public in July 2021.
“This happens to good people, smart people,” Tong said, sharing that even his own mother was once a victim of financial abuse that claimed $5,000 of her funds.
The East Lyme event, attended by about 25 seniors, was the first Tong has done in New London County this year on elder justice. Previously he has been to Avon, Simsbury, Torrington, Portland, Stratford, Trumbull and Norwalk. This is the first speaking tour he has done on the topic.
“This happens to people every day across the state,” Tong said, after referencing a recent case of a man scammed by police impersonators who were able to swipe $20,000 in his savings. “Once the money is gone, it’s really hard to get back.”
Tong estimated that the national cost of scams targeting seniors is $36.5 billion. He said many scams are run from outside the country using sophisticated technology. But in more than half the cases, he said, older Americans are scammed by someone close to them.
According to Tong, only 1 in 44 cases of elder financial abuse gets reported because people may find it embarrassing to call law enforcement on someone they love. Older adults have been pressured to give money to caregivers through emotional threats warning that they could end up in less desirable care arrangements.
The meeting shifted into a discussion about elder physical abuse, also often at the hands of people close to them.
The Elderly Justice Hotline is available to help those unable to protect themselves and when trusted family members or friends become aware of the abuse. It will put them in touch with resources in the state’s Elderly Protective Services Unit of the Department of Social Services.
Tong said the No. 1 scam in America is the “Romance Scam,” which targeting people on dating sites. He pointed out that seniors are especially vulnerable on dating sites when they have become recently single. Scammers scour online profiles, invest a lot of time and use high-pressure tactics to eventually convince their new dating partners to help them financially when caught in a fake crisis.
“To have someone you trust betray you is so hard and humiliating. The best thing you can do is reach out,” said state Rep. Holly Cheeseman, R-East Lyme. “There are people standing ready. You are not alone.” She shared a story about her 95-year-old father, who was instructed to send gift cards to pay for repairs his computer supposedly needed due to a phony virus.
The state’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program “responds to, and investigates complaints brought forward by residents, family members, and/or other individuals acting on their behalf,” according to a state webpage for the program. “Ombudsmen offer information on consultation to consumers and providers, monitor state and federal laws and regulations, and make recommendations for improvement.”
State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Mairead Painter, who oversees the program’s advocacy work, shared her insights about older adults being targeted often. She believes it’s because seniors have more resources as retirees who may have sold their homes. They also have “access to quick money.” Her advice is for people outside immediate circles, such as friends and family members who may hear complaints about someone’s dire situation “over coffee,” to pay attention.
“People will start opening up to trusted individuals in their life,” Painter said. “All your ears should perk up.”
Local officials work together on a regular basis to help seniors navigate the fraudulent predators targeting them.
East Lyme First Selectman Kevin Seery cited examples of elder financial abuse from his state trooper days, including someone who lost $1,500 from a fraudulent car sale and another person whose estranged daughter applied for a credit card in her name and ran up a debt of $34,000. He stressed the role of ombudsmen as free resources whose job it is to help seniors in situations like these.
“Don’t be afraid to make the call,” he said. “You don’t want to say, ‘Why didn’t I make that call?'”
“We deal with this weekly,” said Cathy Wilson, director of the East Lyme Senior Center. She and Candy Heikkinen, the program coordinator who arranged the elder abuse event with the Attorney General’s Office, cooperate with the emergency department, the fire department’s EMT services, police and local banks when they are contacted by seniors who are defrauded.
Skip Guzy of East Lyme, one of the seniors in attendance, doubted the ability of law enforcement to prevent scams from occurring. He wanted to know why he can’t just call the police.
“What is the conviction rate of people you actually catch?” he asked.
Tong said while it’s tough to track perpetrators down after the scam is done, such operations can be shut down after enough data and case studies have been collected and analyzed. If people willingly give scammers money, it’s hard to prove a crime was committed. The operation can be discovered over time as agencies work collaboratively. Tong emphasized the importance of sharing all instances of elder abuse and scams because this is the way they track the fraudulent activity and eventually catch the criminals in the act. It’s also the best way to warn people in surrounding towns.
“When we know more, we can do better,” Tong said. “You guys are the strongest force behind this.
