Attorney General Chris Carr is recognizing Older Americans Month and encouraging all Georgians to learn how to recognize, prevent, and report the financial abuse or exploitation of older adults.

“The Department of Law is proud to celebrate Older Americans Month and to honor the many achievements and contributions of older Georgians across our state,” said Carr.

“We must do all we can to protect those who are most vulnerable, especially with scammers constantly inventing new ways to perpetrate crimes. To help older adults recognize and avoid scams, our Consumer Protection Division offers a number of resources and stands ready to assist those who may fall victim to this type of fraud.”

Older adults and their loved ones should familiarize themselves with the signs of financial abuse or exploitation, which is defined as the misuse of financial resources for another’s gain.

Signs include:

• missing money or valuables;
• credit card charges the individual did not make;
• unusual activity in bank accounts;
• unpaid bills, rent or taxes;
• eviction notices;
• legal documents (such as will or power of attorney) signed by an elderly person who could not have understood what he or she was signing; and
• signatures on checks or documents that appear to be forged.

To report financial abuse or exploitation, contact Adult Protective Services by calling 1-866-55AGING (1-866-552-4464) and then press “3.” Georgians can also file an online report with the Department of Human Services Division of Aging Services at aging.georgia.gov/report-elder-abuse.

Georgia Consumer Protection Guide for Older Adults

The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division offers an excellent resource for older adults and their family members, called the Georgia Consumer Protection Guide for Older Adults. 

Available on the Consumer Protection Division website and via hard copy, the guide includes an array of topics of importance to seniors, including scams, identity theft, credit and debt, reverse mortgages, charitable giving, home repairs, funerals, advance directives, long-term care, elder abuse and more. 

Consumers can contact the office at 404-651-8600 to request free hard copies of the guide in English or Spanish.