Elder financial abuse costs older Americans more than $2.6 billion per year and is most often perpetrated by family members and caregivers, says a new report released by the MetLife Mature Market Institute, of Westport, Conn.

The report, entitled "Broken Trust: Elders, Family, and Finances," is accompanied by tip sheets for older adults and families on how to prevent such issues. It was produced in conjunction with the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (NCPEA) and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

It estimates that up to 1 million older Americans may be targeted yearly for financial abuses, and that related costs like health care, social services, investigations, legal fees, prosecution, lost income, and assets reach tens of millions of dollars annually.

It indicates that for each case of abuse reported, there are an estimated four or more that go unreported, and that the economic downturn may increase vulnerability. Family members and caregivers are the culprits in 55 percent of cases, although financial losses are higher with investment fraud scams, the report says.

The National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA) suggests that the "typical" victim of elder financial abuse is between the ages of 70 and 89, white, female, frail, and cognitively impaired.

She is trusting of others and may be lonely or isolated, although reports show that there is a very diverse population of victims.

"Elder financial abuse has been called the 'crime of the 21st century,'" says Sandra Timmermann, the Metlife institute's director. "With the present state of the economy, older Americans are at a greater risk than ever of having their financial security threatened. And, for every dollar lost to theft and abuse, there are still more related costs associated with stress and health care and the intervention of social service, investigative, and legal entities.

"This is also a growing problem made greater by the increase in the number of older Americans as targets, the relative wealth of this group, a change in family structure, and the availability of technology that may make such abuse somewhat easier," Timmermann says.

"Sadly, family members and caregivers tend to financially exploit their elderly relatives more often than strangers. Community service providers and other professionals agree, however, that reported cases represent only the very 'tip of the iceberg,'" she says.

"Scholars and practitioners speculate that, like perpetrators of other types of elder abuse, family members who exploit their elders are dependent upon them financially and their actions may be influenced by other problems such as alcohol and drug abuse," Timmermann says. "In addition, some family members feel a sense of entitlement and believe that they have a right to the money and material goods their parents or older relatives have accumulated."

Pamela B. Teaster, NCPEA president, says the data provided through the National Center on Elder Abuse daily newsfeed proved invaluable.

"The feed tracks media reports of elder abuse through Google and Yahoo Alerts, a process that scans billions of Web pages," Teaster says. "Not only were we able to put a face on the information reported in the primary literature, but more importantly, we had real-time information on financial elder abuse and information from numerous reporting sources."

The 2006 national Survey of State Adult Protective Services showed that victims range in estimated number from a low of 100,000 to a high of 1 million a year. It is believed that these numbers will grow with the aging population and their increasing net worth.

Elder financial abuse takes many forms, including, but not limited to, fraud (coupon, telemarketing, mail); repair and contracting scams; "sweetheart scams;" false or fraudulent advice from loan officers, stockbrokers, insurance salespeople, accountants, and bank officials; illegal viatical settlements; abuse of powers of attorney and guardianship; identity theft; Internet "phishing;" failure to fulfill contracted health-care services; and Medicare and Medicaid fraud.

The report states that the justice and social services systems often don't have enough staffing, training, or funding to address elder financial abuse. Further, at times it is difficult to determine whether financial abuse occurred or if someone unwittingly or knowingly made a poor financial decision. Most states mention financial exploitation in their statutes, although what it constitutes, who is covered and who is accountable vary as widely as do the remedies.

A bill before Congress since 2002, The Elder Justice Act, would increase awareness of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation at the national level and would train individuals from various disciplines, combat elder abuse, and prosecute cases. An additional measure would create an Elder Justice Coordinating Council.

Underreporting is attributed to things such as fear of government interference, embarrassment and self-blame, a lack of realization that abuse has occurred, fear of being placed in a facility, fear of harm from the perpetrator; and a belief that nothing will be done.

Reports vary as to whether women or men are more vulnerable to financial abuse, but loneliness and isolation clearly leave a person more exposed to theft. The average victim of elder abuse is a woman over the age of 75 who lives alone (48 percent of women over the age of 75, according to the Administration on Aging). Sixty percent of substantiated Adult Protective Services (APS) cases of elder abuse involve an adult child, and sons are 2.5 times more likely than other family members to take advantage of parents.

In addition to the obvious financial loss, long-term effects include credit problems, health issues, depression, and loss of independence. Signs of abuse include indications of intimidation by or fear of a caregiver, isolation from family and friends, disheveled appearance, anxiety about finances, new "best friends," and missing belongings.

The National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (NCPEA) is an association of researchers, practitioners, educators, and advocates dedicated to protecting the safety, security, and dignity of America's most vulnerable citizens. It is one of six partners that make up the National Center on Elder Abuse, which is funded by Congress to serve as the nation's clearinghouse on information and materials on abuse and neglect.

The Mature Market Institute, established in 1997, is MetLife's research organization on aging and longevity. Its research, gerontology expertise, national partnerships, and educational materials are intended to help expand the knowledge and choices for those in, approaching, or caring for those in the mature market.