EverSafe - What to Do If You Suspect Abuse

You are not alone and help is available: If you or someone you know is in danger, call 911 without delay. Reports to the police can be made anonymously, but it’s important to note that law enforcement professionals are now trained on issues related to fraud, identity theft and elder abuse. Many police departments work with social service agencies that provide assistance to crime victims and counseling to seniors. When reporting exploitation to the police, it’s important to request the name of the police officer to whom the abuse is reported and to obtain a complaint report number, if applicable. This information may be important when following up with the police and when reporting the abuse to financial institutions and/or social services agencies.
Adult Protective Services (APS), also known as Protective Services for Adults (PSA): APS/PSA is a system of services provided to abused, neglected or exploited older adults and adults with disabilities. It is administered nationwide by city or state health, aging or regulatory agencies and makes health and social services, as well as legal intervention, available to qualified adults. In many states, reporting suspected abuse and/or exploitation involving vulnerable adults or seniors is mandatory. Contact information for APS/PSA in your jurisdiction can be found at www.napsa-now.org/.
Notify financial institutions: If you suspect that you or a loved one has been the victim of fraud or identity theft, the affected financial institution(s) and credit reporting agencies should be made aware of the exploitation. Your civil attorney, accountant and insurance company should be alerted to the abuse as well.
File a Fraud Alert: If your identifying information has been compromised, you should file a fraud alert with a credit reporting agency in order to protect yourself. Filing a fraud alert will help prevent identity thieves from opening new accounts in your name. See the menu at the left for the link to How to File a Fraud Alert.