BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Elder abuse—especially financial exploitation—continues to affect thousands of seniors each year, often going unreported and committed by both strangers and trusted individuals.
- California reports over 200,000 cases of elder abuse annually — with many more going unreported.
- Only 1 in 44 cases of elder financial abuse is estimated to be reported.
- Experts say abuse can come from both strangers and trusted family members.
- Seniors can protect themselves by freezing credit, using online banking, and setting account alerts.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
As I continue to hear more stories about elder abuse, I’ve realized just how important it is to talk about it and raise awareness. I’m Madi Vollmer, and over the last week, I’ve heard more from experts and advocates emphasizing the importance of elder abuse awareness and prevention.
In California, there are an estimated 202,549 reported cases of elder abuse each year. Right here in Kern County, there were 6,985 cases reported in 2024 alone. Experts say the true numbers are even higher, as many incidents go unreported.
Robin Alvarado worked as a certified nursing assistant for six years. She is now a psychiatric technician, and throughout her time caring for others, she emphasizes that we should treat our elders with the same respect we would want for ourselves in old age. "When you get older, how would you want to be cared for? I mean, you wouldn’t want to be mistreated when you’re older, so why mistreat our elders—who were the ones who took care of us when we were younger?"
Alvarado tells me she’s heard many stories of elder abuse throughout her career, adding that it makes her sad to see people abuse their power. "Families trust us to take care of their loved ones, so hearing stories of elder abuse—whether financial, physical, or verbal—it does happen." She said.
Abuse doesn’t just happen physically, emotionally, and mentally—financial abuse also goes widely underreported.
When it comes to financial abuse, only 1 in 44 cases is estimated to be reported.
Innovative Credit Solutions has been in the business for over 20 years, and they tell me they often see seniors being exploited. Anselmo Moreno, is the Founder of Innovative Credit Solutions and he says, "Financial elder abuse is essentially when you take advantage of a senior citizen. Because of their age, they may be naive to certain financial products, or maybe the transaction is done electronically, which isn’t how they’re used to handling things—so someone takes advantage of that naivety."
Moreno says elder financial abuse usually happens in two ways: either from a stranger, like a door-to-door salesperson, or from a family member asking a senior to co-sign or borrow on their behalf.
I asked, "Do you see people come in and say their credit score has been affected and that’s how it all starts?"
Moreno says, "Yeah, so for example, Grandma co-signed for her grandchild. Grandma has an excellent credit score—like most grandmas do. Then later she needs her credit, checks it, and realizes her score is destroyed."
Now, Moreno says there are ways to protect yourself from potential abuse—including adding layers of protection and educating seniors about their financial options.
For seniors who rarely use credit, freezing it can be a smart step—just make sure you know how to unfreeze it when needed. Moreno also recommends using online banking to regularly check transactions, saying, "You can catch it earlier if you can see it." Setting up account alerts helps you stay aware of unusual or large transactions.
Both Moreno and Alvarado say it’s important to know who you’re trusting with the care of the elderly.
If you suspect elder abuse, don’t stay silent—report it.
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