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FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS ENtERtAINMENt PAGE 49
ELDERLY FRAUD / CONt'D FROM PAGE 34 FOUR TIPS TO PREVENT FRAUD The best defense against elder fraud
is prevention. Take precautions before it
the Los Angeles courts where she works. 1. Check references of caregivers, financial happens. Afterward, it’s too late.
Same story. managers, and service providers. CASE CLOSED
California’s disappointing response to 2. Immediately alert banks and credit card How did Ruth’s case conclude?
the crime made me wonder how my home companies about discrepancies. Thankfully, Discover and the local bank
state of Montana enforced elder fraud laws. 3. Be cautious using auto bill pay and reversed all charges.
I did some research. electric fund transfers (EFT). Online errors Big-Name Bank eventually closed Ruth’s
MONtANA LAWS are easy to overlook. Request paper VISA then tried to claim her estate owed
Montana Code Annotated 45-6-333 pro- statements from bank and credit card more than $5000, despite proof the charges
vides for fines not exceeding $10,000 and up companies. were fraudulent. They did not collect.
to 10 years in prison. 4. Ask a trusted family member or friend Jessica disappeared and has likely vic-
Susan Kunda, Agency on Aging, says social to double-check your finances. timized others.
services often learn about fraud before law After experiencing elder fraud up close
enforcement does. For instance, victims seek and personal, I rewrote parts of my thriller,
help from the agency because they’ve been prosecution. Victims often won’t press charges Stalking Midas, to incorporate hard lessons
evicted. Follow-up investigation often reveals or testify. He recommends prevention is the and insights. Although my novel is different
family members sold the victim’s assets and best way to defeat fraud and suggests review from Ruth’s situation, I hope readers rec-
pocketed the money, resulting in the eviction. of financial records by a second or third set ognize warning signals in the story to help
Jim Wardensky, Kalispell Police of eyes, to catch suspicious activity. protect loved ones.
Department, says elder fraud cases are chal- VERY FEW REPORtED Justice never caught up with Jessica.
lenging to investigate, because caregivers can The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection However, a crime fiction writer can dispense
“endear themselves” to victims who refuse Bureau (CFPB) estimates only one in 44 justice on the page.
to cooperate, despite evidence of financial cases is reported. Victims are reluctant And I did! MSN
exploitation. The victim believes: She’s my to come forward, because they’re embar-
friend; or I need her to take care of me. rassed, ashamed, and fearful that they’ll Debbie Burke lives in Kalispell and is the author of
According to Wardensky, if a victim dies lose control of their money if a trustee or award-winning thrillers, Instrument of the Devil,
because of a criminal act, the suspect is pros- court-appointed guardian takes charge. Stalking Midas, and Eyes in the Sky (publication
ecuted. However, if the victim’s death is not Here’s the harsh reality: elder fraud January 2020). She warns about elder fraud at public
caused by a crime, the fraud case becomes a yields high rewards with low risk of punish- appearances and senior communities. For more
civil dispute. ment. CFPB estimates losses of $36.5 billion information, visit debbieburkewriter.com .
Flathead County Attorney Travis Ahner per year and rising. When criminals steal
says, even though a case meets statutory without consequences, they are emboldened
requirements, circumstances can prevent to repeat the crime.
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