HARRISBURG – The PA Department of Aging announced formation of a dedicated investigative unit to support Area Agencies on Aging in probing financial exploitation cases and obtaining justice for older Pennsylvanians. PA Secretary of Aging Robert Torres says the Financial Abuse Specialist Team or FAST is a four-person unit available to assist in investigating and resolving financial exploitation cases. Financial exploitation ranks in the top three types of elder abuse. It can take the form of property theft, misuse of income or assets, misuse of Power of Attorney or scams of many types including medical, contractor, grandchild imposter emergencies, Social Security or IRS, fake charities, gift card scams, and more. The Department of Aging has unveiled a financial exploitation webpage with information for older adults, caregivers, and other aging professionals on warning signs, preventive measures, and an expandable menu of resources on key topics such as banking and finance, legal services, and dementia. Soon to come are short educational videos from experts explaining financial exploitation topics in everyday terms.
ROBERT TORRES