Seniors Targeted by Scams and Frauds, Warns Daughter

Daughter shares firsthand account of protecting her elderly mother from predatory schemes

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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A daughter shares her personal experience of protecting her 84-year-old mother from a variety of scams and frauds, including an accountant who stole $25,000, a relative who forged her mother's signature, and home health aides who inflated their hours. The article highlights the growing problem of elder financial abuse and the challenges families face in safeguarding their loved ones.

Why it matters

As the population of seniors continues to grow, they are increasingly becoming targets for financial exploitation by scammers, fraudsters, and even trusted family members. This story sheds light on the pervasiveness of these predatory schemes and the emotional toll it takes on families trying to protect their elderly loved ones.

The details

The author's 84-year-old mother fell victim to numerous scams, including an accountant who stole $25,000 by having her sign a blank check, a relative who forged her signature to take over her car, and home health aides who inflated their hours. The author also dealt with phone scammers, people trying to get her mother to sign over valuable farm equipment, and a lawyer who conspired with a relative to take advantage of her mother's declining mental state.

  • In summer 2021, the author discovered his mother's unpaid taxes.
  • Within a year, the accountant had taken $25,000 from the author's mother.
  • In the six years since the author took over his mother's finances, he has dealt with dozens of scams targeting the elderly.

The players

The author's mother

An 84-year-old woman who became the target of numerous financial scams and frauds due to her increasing forgetfulness and trusting nature.

The accountant

A financial professional who worked at a reputable firm in Manhattan but took advantage of the author's mother by stealing $25,000 from her.

The relative

A family member who forged the author's mother's signature to take over her car.

The lawyer

An attorney who conspired with a relative to try to gain access to the author's mother's bank accounts and get her to sign over valuable farm equipment.

Heidi W. Isenhart

A Florida attorney who specializes in cyber-scamming of the elderly.

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What they’re saying

“It's absolutely through the roof. They're called numerous times, they're harassed; they give a little money and then the people come back. They'll even say, 'We'll send a car for you to take you to the bank.'”

— Heidi W. Isenhart, Florida attorney specializing in cyber-scamming of the elderly

“If we were to take all the cases of financial exploitation we know and try to summarize them in a single word, that word is loneliness. Perhaps the money or property taken from them through deceit or malice nevertheless provides them, despite their vulnerability, with a sense of power, control, and love.”

— Liora Bar-Tur, Psychologist and gerontologist

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow the relative who forged the author's mother's signature to be released on bail.

The takeaway

This story highlights the growing epidemic of financial exploitation targeting seniors, perpetrated by both strangers and trusted loved ones. It underscores the importance of families getting involved in their elderly relatives' finances early to protect them from predatory schemes, and the need for stronger laws and enforcement to combat this widespread issue.