Financial Exploitation in the Digital Age: Protecting Older Adults in Estate and Property Matters

Financial exploitation targeting older adults has evolved significantly through digital platforms, online communications, identity manipulation, and increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes. Investment scams, mortgage-related fraud, impersonation attacks, romance scams, account takeovers, and coercive financial arrangements can create significant legal consequences within estate planning, powers of attorney, property transactions, and wealth transfer decisions. These issues increasingly raise difficult questions around capacity, undue influence, professional obligations, and safeguarding responsibilities.

This session examines financial exploitation affecting older adults from a legal and risk-management perspective. The webinar explores how fraud schemes intersect with estate planning, property matters, financial decision-making, and legal practice, while considering practical approaches for identifying risk indicators and protecting vulnerable individuals. Participants will gain practical insight into emerging fraud patterns and the legal considerations arising where financial abuse intersects with planning and advisory work.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Financial exploitation trends affecting older adults
• Mortgage and property-related fraud schemes
• Digital scams and identity manipulation tactics
• Powers of attorney and misuse risks
• Capacity and decision-making considerations
• Undue influence and coercive financial arrangements
• Estate planning vulnerabilities and inheritance-related risks
• Property transfers and suspicious transaction indicators
• Professional duties and safeguarding considerations
• Risk assessment and client protection approaches
• Documentation and evidential considerations
• Lessons from real-world fraud scenarios