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  • FTC report outlines efforts to protect older consumers from fraud

    Federal Issues

    On October 18, the FTC released a report to Congress outlining the agency’s comprehensive efforts to protect older consumers in the marketplace from fraud, identity theft, imposter scams, deceptive credit schemes, and other unlawful practices. The report, Protecting Older Consumers 2017-2018: A Report of the Federal Trade Commission, discusses (i) scams that target older consumers, including technical support scams; business imposter scams; prizes, sweepstakes, and lottery scams; and family or friend imposter scams; (ii) key FTC enforcement actions taken against companies that allegedly engaged in deceptive schemes that targeted or affected older consumers; and (iii) outreach and education efforts, including fraud prevention campaigns and resources for older consumers. Specifically, the report contains analysis of consumer complaint data from 2017, which revealed that older consumers (especially those over 80) were more likely to report fraud than younger people, and that when they reported losing money to fraud, they lost significantly more money than consumers in their twenties. (See previously InfoBytes coverage here on the FTC’s annual summary of consumer complaints received in 2017).

    Federal Issues FTC Fraud Elder Financial Exploitation Consumer Finance

  • FTC files charges against operations that target elder Americans as part of DOJ’s elder fraud enforcement sweep

    Federal Issues

    On February 22, the FTC announced two separate legal actions taken against individuals and their operations for allegedly engaging in schemes exploiting elder Americans. The two cases are part of an enforcement sweep spearheaded by the DOJ in conjunction with the FBI, the FTC, the Kansas Attorney General, and foreign law enforcement agencies, which—according to a press release issued the same day by the DOJ—includes cases from around the globe involving over 250 defendants accused of victimizing more than a million U.S. citizens, the majority of whom are elderly. Charges were brought against both transnational criminal organizations and individuals who allegedly engaged in schemes including (i) mass mailings; (ii) telemarketing and investment frauds; and (iii) guardian identity theft. 

    According to the FTC’s announcement, charges were brought against two individuals and their sweepstake operation accusing them of allegedly bilking consumers out of tens of millions of dollars though personalized mailers that falsely implied the recipients had won or were likely to win a cash prize if they paid a fee. Since 2013, the FTC claims consumers have paid more than $110 million towards the scheme. The second complaint was brought against a group of telemarketers who claimed their software and technical support services would prevent cyber threats. However, the FTC alleges that the telemarketers instead charged up to tens of thousands of dollars for “junk” software or older software available for free or for a much lower price, and communicated “phony” reasons for consumers to purchase additional software to avoid the risk of new threats.

    Federal Issues DOJ FTC Elder Financial Exploitation State Attorney General Enforcement

  • President Trump Signs Law to Prevent Elder Abuse and Exploitation

    Federal Issues

    On October 18, President Trump signed the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act, which establishes new requirements aimed at improving the DOJ’s response to elder abuse crimes. Among other things, S 178 expands data collection and information sharing provisions to prevent financial crimes committed against seniors. The law also broadens the federal criminal code to include “email marketing” fraud, such as marketing measures designed to induce the commitment to a loan. Other notable provisions include enhanced penalties for fraud and increased training for federal investigators and prosecutors. Further, the law requires the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection and the DOJ to appoint elder justice coordinators to oversee enforcement, consumer education efforts, and policy activities related to elder justice issues.

    Federal Issues Federal Legislation Consumer Finance FTC DOJ Elder Financial Exploitation Trump

  • CFPB, Treasury, and FinCEN Release Memorandum Emphasizing Financial Institutions’ Role in Preventing Elder Financial Exploitation

    Consumer Finance

    On August 30, the CFPB, Treasury Department, and Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (the agencies) issued a joint memorandum concerning elder financial exploitation (EFE). The agencies note that EFE—which is defined as “the illegal or improper use of an older person’s funds, property or assets”—has become the most common form of elder abuse in the U.S. The Memorandum on Financial Institution and Law Enforcement Efforts to Combat Elder Financial Exploitation emphasizes that financial institutions can play a key role in detecting, responding to, and preventing EFE, encourages collaboration with law enforcement and local adult protective service agencies to facilitate the timely response to reports, and outlines guidance relating to the filing of suspicious activity reports (SARs). According to the memorandum, “SARs can play an important role in the fight against EFE by providing information and references to any supporting documentation that can trigger an investigation, support an ongoing investigation, or identify previously unknown subjects and entities.” The agencies cautioned, however, that “access to SARs and their use is restricted under federal law” and that law enforcement agencies should contact FinCEN for assistance in SAR-related inquiries.

    Consumer Finance CFPB FinCEN SARs Agency Rule-Making & Guidance Department of Treasury Elder Financial Exploitation

  • FDIC Announces Enhancements to Financial Education Program for Older Adults

    Consumer Finance

    On March 13, the FDIC announced enhancements to Money Smart for Older Adults, its financial education program geared toward preventing elder financial exploitation. The program, which the FDIC developed in partnership with the CFPB, was designed as a response to the growing concerns about financial abuse of senior citizens, which often goes unreported. Statistics provided by the National Adult Protective Services Association show that “only one in 44 cases of financial abuse comes to the attention of authorities, and 90 percent of victims are exploited by a relative, friend, or trusted acquaintance.” The program, which covers topics such as identity theft and scams that target homeowners, also provides tools to help better educate seniors on money management and financial awareness. The recently-announced enhancements include new information and resources aimed at preventing elder financial exploitation.

    Consumer Finance Consumer Education FDIC Elder Financial Exploitation

  • Multiple Federal Agencies Pursue International Payment Processor

    Fintech

    The DOJ, OFAC and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), as part of an effort to stop an international network of mass mailing fraud schemes that target elderly and vulnerable victims, conducted a joint enforcement action against an international payments processor and money services business based in Canada. The agencies alleged that the payment processor engaged in money laundering and mail fraud by knowingly processing payments on behalf of the perpetrators of more than 100 different mail fraud campaigns, collectively involving tens of millions of dollars. OFAC designated the payments processor as a significant transnational criminal organization (TCO) pursuant to Executive Order 13581. OFAC also designated as TCOs a global network of 12 individuals and 24 entities across 18 countries based on their association with the payment processor. As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. Additionally, USPIS obtained a warrant through the Eastern District of New York to seize the funds in a U.S. bank account that was allegedly used to process payments received through fraudulent mailings. According to OFAC, the payment processor “has a nearly 20-year history of knowingly processing payments relating to these fraudulent solicitation schemes, which result in the loss of millions of dollars to U.S. consumers.”

    DOJ Enforcement OFAC Payment Processors Elder Financial Exploitation

  • CFPB Announces Community Bank Advisory Council Meeting, April 21

    Consumer Finance

    On Thursday, April 21, the CFPB will hold its next Community Bank Advisory Council meeting in Washington, DC. According to the April 5 Federal Register publication providing notice of the meeting, both the CFPB’s strategic outlook and elder financial abuse are discussion topics included in the agenda.

    CFPB Consumer Finance Elder Financial Exploitation

  • CFPB Releases Guidance on Financial Exploitation of Older Americans

    Consumer Finance

    On March 23, the CFPB simultaneously issued a report and an advisory providing financial institutions with information on the financial exploitation of older Americans and recommendations on how to prevent and respond to such exploitation. The report combines the CFPB’s “expertise regarding elder financial exploitation” with knowledge gained from interviews conducted between May 2014 to March 2016 with various stakeholders, including, but not limited to, representatives of individual banks and credit unions of various sizes, trade associations, technology vendors, and law enforcement. According to the CFPB, the release of recommendations outlined in the report and advisory mark the “first time a federal regulator has provided an extensive set of voluntary best practices to help banks and credit unions fight [financial exploitation of older Americans].” The CFPB recommended that financial institutions (i) establish protocols for ensuring staff compliance with the Electronic Fund Transfer Act; (ii) train staff to detect the warning signs of financial exploitation and respond appropriately to suspicious events; (iii) maintain fraud detection systems that provide analyses of the types of products and account activity associated with elder financial exploitation; (iv) report cases of suspected exploitation, which includes filing Suspicious Activity Reports with FinCEN when necessary; and (v) collaborate with stakeholders, including law enforcement, at the local, regional, and state level.

    CFPB FinCEN Electronic Fund Transfer Elder Financial Exploitation

  • CFPB Readies Guidance to Help Prevent Elder Financial Exploitation

    Consumer Finance

    On July 13, CFPB Director Richard Cordray delivered remarks at the White House Conference on Aging, expressing the need to protect older consumers in light of recent studies that have found that financial exploitation is the most prevalent form of elder abuse. Accordingly, Cordray revealed that the Bureau intends to issue an advisory “later this year” to assist financial institutions with preventing, recognizing, and reporting elder financial abuse, adding that “[f]inancial institutions are especially well-positioned” to prevent fraud, scams, or theft that victimize seniors.

    CFPB Consumer Finance Elder Financial Exploitation

  • CFPB And FDIC Develop Spanish-Language Tool To Stop Financial Exploitation of Older Adults

    Consumer Finance

    On October 7, the CFPB and the FDIC announced a Spanish-language version of Money Smart for Older Adults, a free financial resource tool intended to prevent the elder financial exploitation that is affecting millions of senior citizens each year. The English-language version, which “includes practical information that can be put to use right away,” was jointly developed by the two agencies last year. The Spanish-language participant/resource guide and power point slides can be downloaded for free at the FDIC’s website, or can be ordered as hard copies on the CFPB’s website.

    FDIC CFPB Consumer Finance Elder Financial Exploitation

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