Consumer Protection
Consumer protection is something most people don’t think about. However, the U.S. Government does have special consumer protection laws set in place for people as they get older. Most of these protections are specifically for seniors, but you should know about them even if you haven’t entered your “golden years” just yet.
State Protections Against Abuse
Each state has become part of an initiative to protect seniors from abuse and neglect. As a result, each state lists a hotline number. This hotline number is not for emergencies but rather for ongoing abuse. Abuse can be both physical or mental and includes physical abuse, verbal abuse, sexual abuse, exploitation, neglect, and abandonment. You can report abuse or you can call this number yourself if you think you’ve been a victim of a scam. A report will be taken and someone will follow up with you about your case.
The National Center on Elder Abuse is a federal agency directed by the U.S. Administration on Aging and provides an additional layer of protection at the federal level. The NCEA provides a wealth of resources and information for you and your family to make sure you are never a victim of abuse.
Nursing Home Advocates
You and your family believe that you will be safe in the hands of a qualified skilled nursing facility. However, reports of abuse are commonplace. It’s unfortunate, but some certified nurses assistants and even nurses themselves may not treat you with the full respect that you deserve. Even if they don’t, there’s no excuse for physical or verbal abuse. The state protects you, or your loved ones, if you’re admitted to a facility and are abused by the staff.
Avoiding Scams
Avoiding scams is sometimes as easy as running stopping and thinking about what is being offered. If something sounds too good to be true, it often is. Scams come in all shapes and sizes, but are normally cloaked in promises of high investment returns or offshore tax havens. While these aren’t the only types of scams out there, the common thread running between them is that they promise some secret method of achieving some kind of success that isn’t available to other people. Often, scam artists want you to keep your activities a secret, and they won’t be totally upfront and transparent about how their system, strategy, or offering works.
You should not have to push too hard for answers. The scam artist doesn’t like being pushed for answers, however, and will likely become increasingly evasive about what he’s doing. Don’t settle for partial answers. Always demand full disclosure and regular progress updates and statements (if applicable). Lastly, you should understand the strategy being suggested. If there is any part of an investment, tax, or other financial strategy you don’t understand, don’t do business with the seller of such advice. Move on. You’ll be glad you did.
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