Legal Blog
Now For Some Good News: Scammers Get Caught And Punished
International scams are increasingly common among the elderly. List of names of elderly targets are sold among scammers, and the scammers have stolen millions from their targets, often draining retirement accounts and savings. I have been involved in numerous guardianship cases where older adults, all of whom had advanced educations, had excelled in their careers, and successfully managed their finances for many years, have been persuaded to give hundreds of thousands of dollars to scammers through various means, including cash, cashier’s checks, wire transfers, and gift cards. Family members and friends are often reluctant to take action because the vulnerable adult becomes angry when confronted about what appears to be happening. By the time the scammer is finally stopped, the vulnerable adult has often lost most, if not all, of their savings.
If you believe that a family member or friend may be the victim of a scammer, it is important that you take action as soon as possible. In general, it is more important to protect the person’s finances than the person’s feelings. Depending on the circumstances, there are several options to stop the scam and help the victim move forward. Your best option is to educate any elderly family members and friends about the risk of financial scams, contact your elderly family members and friends frequently, contact the applicable financial institution to report fraud, contact Adult Protective Services, and consult with an experienced guardianship attorney if you think a family member or friend is being exploited.
If you have questions about Child Custody, Guardianship, or any other Family Law issue please contact Catherine H. “Kate” McQueen at (240) 507-1718 or kmcqueen@offitkurman.com.
ABOUT KATE MCQUEEN
Catherine H. “Kate” McQueen is a family lawyer and principal in Offit Kurman’s Bethesda office and is licensed to practice in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Ms. McQueen focuses her practice on the many legal issues that impact families, including all the issues arising out of a divorce, such as custody, child support, alimony, and other financial and property issues. She also has extensive experience in guardianship matters for children and incapacitated adults, including assisting clients in petitioning for guardianship, serving as court-appointed counsel for alleged disabled persons, and serving as court-appointed guardian for individuals when their family members or friends are unwilling or unable to do so.
ABOUT OFFIT KURMAN
Offit Kurman is one of the fastest-growing full-service law firms in the United States. With over 200 attorneys in 14 offices that stretch from New York to North Carolina, we represent privately-held companies and families of wealth throughout their business life cycles. Our mission is to provide our clients with “The Better Way” to grow their organizations, protect their businesses’ and families’ wealth, and resolve their most challenging legal conflicts. In addition to our quality of attorneys and breadth of legal services, Offit Kurman is distinguished by our unique operational structure, which encourages collaboration rather than internal competition. The same approach that makes our firm attractive to legal practitioners gives clients unlimited access to experienced counsel in every area of the law. Trust, Knowledge, Confidence—in a partner, that’s perfect.
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