Montana Department of Justice recognizes World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

HELENA – The Montana Department of Justice hosted a press conference today, on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, to remind Montana seniors to be aware and take precautions as bad actors commonly prey on the elderly population.

Scammers and fraudsters commonly target older Americans, often using deceptive tactics to steal money or personal information, putting many seniors at risk of abuse and exploitation. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 1 in 10 people aged 60 years and older experience at least one type of abuse each year.

“Scams and financial exploitation are far too common in Montana, especially in the senior community. Seniors have worked their entire lives to save and retire comfortably, which makes them a good target for criminals. At the Montana Department of Justice, we are committed to preventing Montanans from having their hard-earned money stolen by scammers and holding perpetrators accountable,” Attorney General Knudsen said. “I encourage every Montanan to join us in this fight and educate yourself and your loved ones on the signs to avoid becoming victims of fraud.”

“I’m tasked with protecting Montana consumers in the investment and insurance spaces. Despicably, scammers and fraudsters often target seniors that are socially isolated and susceptible to new and sophisticated fraud techniques that utilize artificial intelligence,” Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance James Brown said. “My team is dedicated to finding and catching these criminals. When we do track them down, they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for preying on vulnerable members of our communities.”

“Aging is natural. Abuse is not,” Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services Adult Protective Services Supervisor Trevor Tangen said.

The Montana Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation oversees three sections that work to protect Montana’s elders. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit provides direct assistance to criminally investigate elder abuse and exploitation within health care facilities, the Office of Consumer Protection protects seniors from financial exploitation, and the Elder Justice Unit helps to combat financial exploitation, abuse, and other crimes committed against Montana’s older population.

Division of Criminal Investigation Administrator Lee Johnson spoke at the press conference today, June 15. 

Last fall, Attorney General Knudsen launched a public service announcement featuring Susan Bivins, an Anaconda resident who lost her life savings to a scammer in 2022, to remind Montana seniors to stay alert and take precautions, as bad actors commonly prey on the elderly.

Common scams that a predator may use against the elderly include the grandparent scam, in which a scammer pretends to be a grandchild in need of monetary assistance; romance scams, which target lonely seniors looking to build a romantic relationship; and law enforcement scams, in which the scammer is creating a false sense of authority by claiming to be law enforcement.

Attorney General Knudsen offered the following tips to avoid falling victim to a scam:

• Don’t give out personal information to someone soliciting it from you over the phone or the internet. Banks and government agencies will never call and ask for your personal information.
• Never wire or give money to someone you don’t know. Don’t send gift cards, prepaid debit cards, or cryptocurrency to someone you do not know. Even if you think it’s someone you know, follow up to make sure before you wire any money.
• Use common sense and do your due diligence: ask around, talk to others, call OCP if you have any doubts or questions.
• Be skeptical, resist high-pressure tactics, take your time. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

Montanans can report the financial exploitation and abuse of seniors to the Montana Department of Justice at 406-444-3874.

Montanans can also report any phone, email, or mail scams to the Montana Department of Justice’s Office of Consumer Protection at [email protected], or 406-444-4500 (toll-free: 800-481-6896), or online at https://dojmt.gov/office-of-consumer-protection/.

Montanans can report suspected cases of Medicaid fraud or elder abuse by calling the Medicaid Fraud hotline at 800-376-1115.