"You've won!!  Wire me $2,000 for handling costs and we will be delivering your prize of $1 million cash within ten days."

"Far-fetched," you say.  "An obvious scam!  No one would ever fall for that."

Unfortunately, everyday there are elders and others who are victimized by this type of brazen scheme. Due perhaps to evolving dementia, cognitive impairments brought on by disease or medication, or just a hope fueled by desperate circumstances, many individuals can fall prey to such come-ons.

Such reprehensible attempts can be thwarted when people who work with elders remain vigilant and most importantly, intervene by advising the elder or making a referral to protective service workers at agencies such as North Shore Elder Services or to local law enforcement personnel.  

Recently, two SalemFive branch office workers, Carol Shibilia and Heidi Ushakoff, with dogged perseverance, successfully talked an elderly customer out of wiring $600 to a persistent scam artist in response to a promise of a winning a great prize. This month, their efforts are being recognized in a State House event with Attorney General Martha Coakley, Elder Affairs Secretary Michael Festa, and Salem State Representative John Keenan.

Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett, the Executive Office of Elder Affairs, other local elder protective agencies, and North Shore Elder Services have formed the Essex County Elder Protection Roundtable to mount collaborative efforts to educate the public about financial exploitation and other scam activities targeting elders.  As a result, we invited this group to be featured in the "Our Affiliates" section of our website. These web pages describe warning signs and provide resources to prevent or respond to issues.

One of the most valuable and utilized services offered by North Shore Elder Services to help prevent intentional or accidental misuse of an elder financial resources is the Money Management Program which assists people who are having difficulty handling their financial affairs.The program relies on trained and supervised volunteers who help clients pay monthly bills, balance their checkbooks, and avoid financial scams.  In 1991, North Shore Elder Services sponsored the first money management program in Massachusetts. The service is now available throughout the state through the collaborative efforts of AARP, the Executive Office of Elder Affairs, and Mass Home Care.

The best way to resolve an instance of financial exploitation or scam is to never let it happen in the first instance.  Always, keep in mind the maxim:  "If it is too good to seem true, then it probably isn't."