Tips to avoid senior scams & outside pressure
Harper Lee’s long-awaited second novel is hot off the presses, and readers are snapping up copies.
The sequel to the Pulitzer Prize-winning “To Kill a Mockingbird” is one of the most anticipated book releases of our time.
But for all the fanfare welcoming “Go Set a Watchman”, there is controversy surrounding it. Lee may have never wanted to have the book published.
Lee suffered a stoke in 2007 and she may have been taken advantage of, and according to published reports, she could have been pressured to put out a book she didn’t want published.
“Her lawyer should have written a contract between the lawyer at the publishing company that says this book should not be published and that ends it, or can not be published unless A, B, C, and D are done,” said David Greenberg, attorney at law.
Seniors in the Coachella Valley have always been subject to scams and pressure from family members but there are ways to protect yourself.
“The first thing I would advise people to do is to set up a trust or a will and outline what’s going to happen with their money, where it is allowed to go, where it’s not allowed to go. There are a number of elder attorney specialists in the valley,” said Greenberg.
Senior centers are sometimes the first place victims turn to when they think they are being taken advantage of by scam artists or family members.
“There are several forms of abuse: physical abuse, emotional abuse, financial abuse, and most of the time it is partially by family members caregivers,” said Daniel Coover, program director for The Joslyn Center.
“It’s not uncommon and it’s not unheard of for a family member to abuse based on a history that is prevalent. Mom won’t say anything, Dad won’t say anything,” said Coover.
“You may not have a family member you can trust, you want to reach out to Adult Protective Services, you want to call the county programs, you want to call the sheriffs department,” said Geri Crippen-Richardson, C.A.R.E. program 4th district coordinator.
If you know a senior who is being taken advantage of in any way you can call Adult Protective Services at 1-800-491-7123.
