Preventing Caregiver Fraud

Elder abuse and fraud targeting senior citizens is on the rise again in NC. We've even recently helped catch or prevent instances of it with Coastal members. Unfortunately, sometimes it's too late to recover stolen money or property.

One source of elder abuse is caregiver fraud, when someone you’ve hired to trust with the care of your loved one turns out to be a criminal.  

The NC Department of Justice has been publishing warnings like this for the past several years.  A 2014 article from the DOJ website holds true today, and provides guidance to select a caregiver and to help avoid putting loved ones at risk. 

Always be vigilant, and if you suspect a case of elder abuse, follow this direction from the NC DOJ:

If you believe that a caregiver may have scammed or stolen from your loved one, contact local law enforcement immediately. If you have other concerns about a caregiver, contact the NC Division of Health Service Regulation at 1-800-634-3004 or 919-855-4500 or your local Department of Social Services.  For more tips on protecting seniors from fraud, visit our website at ncdoj.gov or call our Consumer Protection Division at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.