Taking money or property without an elderly person's knowledge or permission, forging his or her signature, using undue influence to force an elderly individual into signing a legal document, and using an older person's property without their permission are just a few examples of financial exploitation. There are dozens of ways an elderly person can be exploited; family members or businesspeople often take advantage of them.

 

Elderly individuals who are isolated, lonely, or suffer from mental or physical disabilities are at risk for becoming financially exploited. Family members may believe they are entitled to the elderly person's finances, while businesspeople may overcharge for products or services. Elderly people control about 70% of the nation's wealth, making them primary targets for financial abuse. As a person gets older, they may lose track of their finances and the value of their assets. This makes financial exploitation reasonably straightforward, as the elderly individual is not aware of what they financially possess and do not realize when/if chunks of their estate are missing.