World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) is observed globally on June 15, and the entire month is recognized as Elder Abuse Awareness Month. In recognition of this, agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) host webinars and campaigns to combat elder financial exploitation, with a strong emphasis on imposter scams.
These awareness initiatives highlight trending criminal tactics and provide free resources to help older adults and their families identify and report fraud. Key details and resources include:
- The Imposter Scam Threat: Scammers frequently impersonate federal agencies (such as the FTC, Social Security Administration, or Medicare) and use threats of arrest to coerce older adults into wiring money, buying gift cards, or transferring funds for “safekeeping.”
- Actionable Tools: The FTC provides specialized resources—such as the FTC Pass It On Campaign—to help people start critical conversations about recognizing and preventing scams.
- Where to Report: If you or a loved one encounters a scam, you should report it directly to the FTC using the FTC Report Fraud Center.
- DOJ Resources: You can access additional toolkits and victim assistance programs via the DOJ Elder Justice Initiative.
