Nearly eight in 10 seniors are vulnerable to investment fraud and financial exploitation, according to a new survey.
Investor Protection Trust and Investor Protection Institute, Washington, published this finding in a survey of 756 experts conducted in response to questions posed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The online poll—of state securities regulators, financial planners, health care professionals, social workers, adult protective services, law enforcement officials, elder law attorneys, academics and others—found that 78% of older Americans are “very vulnerable” to investment fraud/financial exploitation.
About two-thirds of the experts surveyed deal with elderly victims of investment fraud/financial exploitation. Three out of four experts said that such swindles are a “very serious” problem in America today.