Texas Elder Justice Coalition is a network of Texas professionals from multiple fields and disciplines working together to end financial exploitation of older adults in Texas. Our work focuses on education, advocacy, accountability and collaboration with state and community partners to ensure that older adults age with dignity and financial security.
TEJC is a growing coalition of professionals serving and safeguarding older adults from becoming victims of exploitation and losing their precious wealth and health. Our central goal is to enlist as many types of organizations across Texas as possible to educate one another and improve systems of communication for identifying and reporting fraud and exploitation directed at older adults. In addition, our coalition focuses on deterring, interrupting and addressing financial exploitation of older adults.
Older adults in the U.S. lose approximately $28 billion every year to financial exploitation.
For every one case of financial exploitation of an older adult reported, another 43 never come forward.
72% of financial exploitation of older adult cases are committed by someone known to the older adult.
Texas is home to the third largest population of adults 65+ in the nation.
Sources: AARP Bank Safe Initiative. AARP Report Finds $28.3 Billion a Year is Stolen from U.S. Adults Over 60. AARP Press Room (June 15, 2023). Peterson, J.C., Burnes, D.P., Caccamise, P.L. et al. Financial Exploitation of Older Adults: A Population-Based Prevalence Study. J GEN INTERN MED 29, 1615–1623 (2014). AARP Bank Safe Initiative. AARP Report Finds $28.3 Billion a Year is Stolen from U.S. Adults Over 60. AARP Press Room (June 15, 2023). FBI. 2023 Elder Fraud Report (April 30, 2024).
Elder justice is when the collective actions of professionals, older adults, family and friends eliminate financial exploitation of older adults.
Financial exploitation is unauthorized or improper use of an older adult’s funds, property or assets for someone else’s benefit, often to the detriment of the older adult. All types of financial exploitation of older adults are, in short, theft.
Being financially exploited can be devastating to an older adult — not only because of financial losses, but also because there are significant emotional, psychological and physical consequences. Financial exploitation jeopardizes an older adult’s financial security, independence and quality of life. According to data from the National Elder Justice Law Enforcement Summit, even mild abuse, neglect or exploitation increase premature deaths in the elder older adult population by 300%.
Perpetrators can be family members, caregivers, financial advisors or strangers.
Recognizing the signs of financial exploitation and taking proactive measures to prevent and address it are crucial in safeguarding the financial well-being and dignity of older adults.
Examples of financial exploitation typically used by family, friends, caregivers or people they trust include:
Taking money or property from an older adult without their consent or knowledge.
Deceiving or tricking an older adult into giving away money or assets through false promises, misrepresentation or manipulation.
Pressuring or forcing an older adult to make financial decisions against their will, often through threats or intimidation.
Persuading or manipulating an older adult to change their will, sign over assets, or make financial transactions that benefit the influencer at the expense of the older adult's best interests.
Using a legally appointed power of attorney to access an older adult's finances for personal gain rather than for the benefit of the older adult.
Examples of financial exploitation typically used by strangers include:
Conning older adults through phone, mail, email or online schemes, such as lottery scams, grandparent scams or investment scams.
If you suspect a romance scam:
Talk to someone you trust. Do your friends or family say they’re concerned about your new love interest?
Search online for the type of job the person has plus the word “scammer.” Have other people posted similar stories?
Do a reverse image search of the person’s profile picture. Is it associated with another name or with details that don’t match up?
The Texas Elder Justice Coalition (TEJC) is seeking volunteers for several committees for 2025. The committees include:
Collaboration
Professional Education
Older Adult Financial Exploitation Awareness, Education, and Services
Resources/Fundraising
Meetings are held monthly for 30-60 minutes, and no prior experience is necessary. If interested, contact dhoffman@guardianshipservices.org by February 14, 2025.
TEJC’s upcoming events include:
2025 TEJC Summit on June 10, 2025, in Fort Worth, TX, featuring sessions on financial exploitation, prevention, and legal action. Early bird registration ends February 28, 2025.
Monthly Webinars and Meetings on elder justice topics, including financial exploitation, with a focus on protecting older adults.
Additionally, TEJC has recordings available on YouTube from past presentations. Visit their website for more information or to register for upcoming events.
Banks, credit unions, and other supervised institutions play an important role in combatting elder financial exploitation and supporting their customers who experience these crimes. In December 2024, five federal financial regulatory agencies, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), and state financial regulators issued a statement to provide supervised institutions with examples of risk management and other practices that may be effective in combatting elder financial exploitation.
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Some chronic fraud victims deny that they’ve been targeted by scammers, frustrating the people who care about them
Dana Hoffman
Coordinator, Texas Elder Justice Coalition
682-235-5354
PO Box 11481
Fort Worth, TX 76110
This is a Texas-focused coalition website. Information may not be accurate for other locations. This website is not to be substituted for legal advice. This disclaimer will be governed by and construed in accordance with Texas, and any disputes relating to this disclaimer will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Fort Worth, Texas.
