- If you think some money or property is mission, or Marina says that some money or property is mission, consider looking for common signs of exploitation or sudden changes in Marina's spending or savings. For example, she:
- Takes out lots of money from the bank without explanation;
- Tries to wire large amounts of money;
- Uses the ATM a lot;
- Is not able to pay bills that are usually paid;
- Buys things or services that don’t seem necessary;
- Puts names on bank or other accounts that you do not recognize or that she is unwilling or unable to explain;
- Does not get bank statements or bills;
- Makes new or unusual gifts to family or others, such as a “new best friend”;
- Changes beneficiaries of a will, life insurance, or retirement funds; or
- Has a caregiver, friend, or relative who suddenly begins handling her money.
- There may also be an exploitation issue when Martina says she is afraid or seems afraid of a relative, caregiver, or friend, or
- A relative, caregiver, friend, or someone else keeps Martina from having visitors or phone calls, does not let her speak for herself, or seems to be controlling her decisions.
What can you do if Martina has been exploited?
Call the emergency 911 number if Martina is in immediate danger.
Call Texas Adult Protective Services at 1-800-252-5400 or the local police or sheriff. You are required by law to do this. If the situation is not urgent or an emergency, you may report the exploitation or abuse online.
Alert Martina’s bank or credit card company, and the person or company managing Martina's investments. Texas law now requires them to investigate suspected financial abuse, and the bank, credit card company, or investment company may place a temporary hold on any transaction that involves Martina's account if they believe she is being exploited. Note that the temporary hold is placed only on a particular transaction, but the account should still be usable for other purposes.
If Martina is in a nursing home or assisted living, report it to the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Unit at 1-512-371-4700 or 1-800-252-8011 (main switchboard).
What can you do if Martina has been scammed?
Call the Texas Attorney General, Texas Adult Protective Services, the Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman, or a similar agency. Contact information for each of these agencies can be found in the Where to go for help section of this guide.
If scammers are in other states or countries, call a federal agency, such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the FBI, the Federal Trade Commission, or the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
In both cases...
Consider talking to a lawyer about protecting Martina from further exploitation or getting back money or property taken from her.
Help can come from many places. Each agency and professional has a different role, so you may need to call more than one.For more information, see Where to go for help.