If you suspect that an older adult is being financially exploited, the first question is where to report it, not whether you can prove what happened. The right contact depends on the danger, the suspected person and the setting. A report may help authorities respond or prevent further harm, but it does not guarantee that money will be recovered or that a case will be prosecuted.

  1. Check for immediate danger. If someone is in immediate danger, call 9-1-1.
  2. For suspected fraud against someone age 60 or older, consider the National Elder Fraud Hotline. It is a free U.S. Department of Justice service at 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311), open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time.
  3. For abuse or exploitation by a caregiver or someone trusted, look for Adult Protective Services. The Eldercare Locator at 800-677-1116 can help find a local office.
Hands writing notes at a kitchen table beside a mug of tea and a stack of unopened envelopes in soft daylight
A three-step reporting checklist: check immediate safety, choose a reporting channel, and verify who contacts you.
  1. Write down the basic concern in your own words. You do not need to decide which crime occurred before asking an agency where to report it.
  2. Ask who will handle the report. If you contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline, callers are assigned a case manager who can remain a point of contact and help navigate federal, state and local reporting.
  3. Verify any unexpected follow-up. End a suspicious call and contact the agency using a number or website you independently confirmed.

Start with the National Elder Fraud Hotline

The National Elder Fraud Hotline was created by the Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime to help people report fraud against adults age 60 and older. The service is free, and help is available in English, Spanish and other languages. Its hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time, at 833-FRAUD-11, or 833-372-8311.

A case manager can help a caller understand reporting options at different levels of government. That can make the process easier to follow when a concern may involve more than one office. The hotline describes reporting as a first step: authorities may be able to use a report to try to stop those responsible or prevent others from being targeted. A report is not a promise of an investigation, prosecution or repayment.

Match the report to the situation

For suspected scams or other financial fraud, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau points people to the FBI, the Federal Trade Commission, state attorneys general and local police. Online fraud can be reported to the FTC and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. The CFPB’s guide to reporting scams and fraud lists these channels and other starting points.

If the suspected harm involves a family member, caregiver or other trusted person, Adult Protective Services, commonly called APS, may be the more fitting contact. APS agencies receive and investigate reports of suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation. The CFPB’s elder abuse resource page explains how the Eldercare Locator can help find state or local APS offices, Area Agencies on Aging and Aging and Disability Resource Centers. The locator’s number is 800-677-1116.

Where the concern happened can matter, too. Local police or a sheriff’s non-emergency line may take reports of suspected crimes. A long-term care ombudsman program handles concerns about residential care, while elder care mediation may help families address disagreements about caregiving and finances. These services have different roles, so an office that is not the investigator may still be able to direct someone to the right place.

Who investigates, and who may prosecute?

There is no single office that handles every case. APS investigates reports within its role and jurisdiction. Local law enforcement and state prosecutors may handle criminal matters. Federal agencies may investigate fraud that falls within their authority, and the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative includes work to investigate and prosecute financial scams targeting older adults.

The agency that receives a report may not be the only agency involved. The facts, location and people involved can affect where a matter goes. Public information does not establish how long an investigation will take, how authorities select cases for prosecution or what outcome a particular report will have. Ask the assigned contact what the next step is and whether another office should also receive a report.

Check that a caller is who they say they are

Scammers may pose as government workers, financial institutions or even the National Elder Fraud Hotline. The hotline warns that someone claiming to represent it who threatens a lawsuit and asks for money or personal information is an impersonator. Do not give an unknown caller a Social Security number or send money because of a threat.

The CFPB says real government agencies and financial institutions do not threaten people or tell them to move money to “protect it,” withdraw cash, buy gift cards or pay in cryptocurrency. If a caller makes one of those demands, end the call. Reach the organization through a number or website you have verified independently, rather than using contact information supplied by the caller. You can ask which office is handling the matter and who your assigned contact is.

Know what public guidance leaves unanswered

The listed resources do not spell out a universal set of documents to gather before reporting, a timeline for what happens afterward or a process that guarantees recovery of lost money. They also do not provide state-by-state APS reporting rules. The Eldercare Locator and the relevant state or local agency are practical starting points for location-specific questions.

The CFPB has general information about working with a financial institution to help protect an older adult, but the sources here do not describe how each bank or credit union handles suspected exploitation internally. They also do not cover credit bureau reports, fraud alerts or credit freezes. For those questions, use official agency resources and ask the relevant organization what options apply to the situation. This article is general education, not legal, financial or tax advice.

Please seek a professional. This article is general information, not financial, tax or insurance advice. Please seek a licensed financial, tax or insurance professional about your own situation.