Elder Justice Initiative

Elder Justice Initiative

Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeted at seniors is a key priority of the U.S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. Elder abuse is a serious crime against some of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens, affecting at least 10% of older Americans every year. Together with our federal, state, local, and tribal partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to combatting all forms of elder abuse and financial exploitation through enforcement actions, training and resources, victim services, and public awareness. 

Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force

In June 2019, the Attorney General announced the establishment of the Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force. The Southern District of Florida was one of six U.S. Attorneys’ Offices initially selected to be a part of this joint law enforcement effort that brings together the resources and expertise of the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch, the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and other organizations. The Strike Force focuses on investigating and prosecuting individuals and entities associated with foreign-based fraud schemes that disproportionately affect American seniors. These include telemarketing, mass-mailing, and tech-support fraud schemes.

Resources

For more information about the Justice Department’s efforts to help American seniors please visit the Elder Justice Initiative webpage at https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.  The Justice Department also provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov. For information regarding how the FBI can help the public visit https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/elder-fraud. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.

Elder Fraud Hotline

If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step and can help authorities identify those who commit fraud. Reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.

Report Elder Fraud

Elder fraud complaints may be reported to the FBI at https://www.ic3.gov/Home/EF.  Elder fraud complaints may also be filed with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP.