Guarding the golden years – Florida Weekly | #datingscams #romancescams

He promised her romance. He promised her a future together. And he promised her he was indeed a handsome actor from the Hallmark Channel.  But none of it was true.

What was true was that it was a classic romance scam – one of many types of scams intended to separate older adults from their money. This one targeted a Palm Beach woman. The scams are throughout South Florida.

As people age, protecting retirement savings and personal assets becomes increasingly important. But it’s also increasingly difficult, as older adults are often targeted by scammers, exploited by caregivers or relatives, or caught off guard by legal and financial problems that could have been prevented with proper planning.

At the same time, many seniors are living on fixed incomes while dealing with escalating housing, health care and insurance costs.

“The biggest threats are scams, rising costs, identity theft, financial exploitation by trusted individuals and fraud connected to technology,” said Charlotte Mather-Taylor, CEO of the Area Agency on Aging of Broward County and current president of the Florida Area Agency on Aging State Association.

“Many older adults are living on fixed incomes, so even a small financial loss can affect their ability to pay for housing, utilities, food, medication and care,” she said.

But experts say the good news is that there are steps seniors and their families can take to protect themselves.

1. Watch for scams targeting older adults

Financial scams aimed at seniors have become increasingly sophisticated, often exploiting loneliness, trust or unfamiliarity with technology.

Common scams include fake tech support calls, government impersonation schemes, fraudulent bank alerts, Medicare fraud, phishing texts and cryptocurrency investment scams.

Romance scams remain especially common.

“Our seniors are susceptible to all types of financial exploitation, whether it’s a romance scam or a caregiver who takes their funds,” said Tequisha Myles, supervising attorney for the Fair Housing and Elder Law Projects for the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County.

Myles recalled a client who believed an actor on the Hallmark Channel was in love with her and planned to help her move to Canada.

“They were in love,” Myles said.

Tequisha Myles is supervising attorney for the Fair Housing and Elder Law Projects for the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County. -COURTESY PHOTO

Another way scammers prey on seniors is by exploiting their courtesy. Unlike younger generations, many older adults feel obligated to answer the phone.

“They come from a generation of honor and respect, and it’s their kindness – just answering the phone and talking to people – that can hurt them,” Myles said.

Scammers often pressure victims to send money through wire transfers, payment apps or gift cards. Experts recommend seniors never send money or personal information without independently verifying the request.

“The best rule is: pause, verify and ask before sending money,” Mather-Taylor said.

2. Monitor bank accounts and property records closely

Experts say one of the simplest but most effective protections is regularly reviewing financial accounts.

Myles said seniors who still rely primarily on balancing a checkbook should also monitor their online banking activity.

“Make sure you have online access to your bank account, and you’re monitoring those transactions,” she said. “Once someone kind of dips in there once for a fraudulent charge, they can test the waters and take more and more.”

Families should also watch for unusual withdrawals, unpaid bills, missing valuables or sudden secrecy around finances.

Florida seniors also face a growing threat from fraudulent property transfers, in which someone forges paperwork to transfer ownership of a home.

Myles encourages homeowners to sign up for property fraud alerts through their county clerk’s office.

“The clerk’s office will notify you if there is a deed or a mortgage recorded with your name,” she said.

3. Stay socially connected

Isolation can make seniors more vulnerable to scams and abuse.

According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, financial exploitation is vastly underreported, with only about 1 in 14 cases ever reaching authorities.

Myles said one major warning sign is when a caregiver or family member begins isolating an older adult from friends and relatives.

“That’s a huge red flag that someone’s trying to hide something happening,” she said.

Loneliness can also make seniors more susceptible to emotional manipulation online or over the phone.

“I encourage seniors to get active in the different senior service programs to get them out of the house and to limit that loneliness factor,” Myles said.

Families should maintain regular contact with aging loved ones, even when life gets busy. Frequent conversations and visits can help relatives notice changes in behavior, finances or mental capacity before problems worsen.

4. Be cautious before signing contracts

Older adults are increasingly conducting business on digital devices, but not everyone fully understands the risks.

Myles said seniors should avoid signing contracts – especially home repair agreements –  without having a trusted person review them first.

“A digital contract is a contract,” she said.

Some contractors may pressure customers to quickly sign documents on a tablet device without fully explaining the terms. In some cases, seniors later discover a contractor opened a line of credit in their name or placed a lien on their property.

Experts recommend never rushing financial decisions and always asking for paper copies of agreements before signing.

Mather-Taylor said seniors should also avoid sharing personal information over the phone or text message, particularly when contacted unexpectedly.

5. Put essential legal documents in place early

One of the biggest mistakes seniors make is waiting too long to prepare legal and financial documents, according to Fort Myers attorney Alina Gonzalez-Dockery.

“The most common mistake seniors make is waiting too long to plan,” she said.

Without proper paperwork in place, families may be forced into expensive and stressful court proceedings if a loved one becomes incapacitated by dementia, Alzheimer’s disease or a stroke.

Alina Gonzalez-Dockery is a Fort Myers attorney specializing in family law and estate planning. -COURTESY PHOTO

“Then it forces the family to file for a guardianship, and now everything has to be regulated by the court,” Gonzalez-Dockery said.

At minimum, experts recommend seniors have:

• A durable power of attorney
• A health care surrogate designation
• A living will
• A will or trust

“You’re never too young to plan, and you’re never too old to plan either,” Gonzalez-Dockery said.

She recommends families gather information about important accounts and professional contacts – including lawyers, accountants and financial advisors – before a crisis occurs.

“One of the things I think is ingenious is to make a list out of all of your main people,” she said. “It does help, so your family’s not scrambling and going through boxes and boxes of paperwork.”

6. Consider trusts and probate-avoidance tools

Estate planning can also protect assets and reduce legal complications after death.

Many seniors mistakenly believe a will alone avoids probate. In reality, Gonzalez-Dockery said trusts are often the more effective tool.

“Trusts are how you avoid probates, not wills,” she said.

Trusts can also provide detailed instructions about how assets should be managed if someone becomes incapacitated.

“Trusts are a great tool because it literally maps out, in the event of incapacitation, what you can do to be taken care of,” she said.

Another probate-avoidance option in Florida is a Lady Bird deed, which automatically transfers real estate to beneficiaries upon death.

For seniors with significant assets, Gonzalez-Dockery said it may also make sense to use a professional fiduciary or trust manager instead of relying solely on relatives.

“If your assets are of a vast amount, it might be better to have a professional involved,” she said.

7. Choose trusted people carefully

Financial exploitation often comes from someone the senior knows personally.

That’s why experts stress the importance of carefully selecting anyone given authority over finances, health care decisions or estate planning.

“One of the most important things I would say is, if you’re appointing someone, regardless of if it’s someone that is a power of attorney, a health care surrogate, a trust, or whatever, make sure that that’s somebody who is really trustworthy,” Gonzalez-Dockery said.

Sometimes adult children or caregivers added to bank accounts abuse that access by transferring money to themselves.

Mather-Taylor recommends seniors identify one or two trusted contacts who can help review suspicious activity while still allowing the senior to maintain independence.

“Financial independence and protection can go hand in hand,” she said.

8. Use community resources

Many seniors do not realize free or low-cost help is available.

Legal Aid’s Senior Law Unit provides legal advice and representation to Collier County residents who are 60 years of age or older (CollierLegalaid.org)

Similarly, the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County (legalaidpbc.org) provides free legal services to adults 60 and older dealing with housing problems, consumer issues, estate planning, guardianship and public benefits. This organization helps about 1,000 seniors annually across Palm Beach, St. Lucie, Okeechobee and Indian River counties.

Myles said many older adults are also struggling financially because of rising living costs.

“We’re relying a lot more on credit cards, and so we have a number of seniors who are being sued for various credit card debts,” she said.

Florida seniors who suspect abuse or exploitation can contact the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-96-ABUSE, local law enforcement, Area Agencies on Aging or the Attorney General’s Seniors vs. Crime Project.

Florida has also expanded anti-fraud protections in recent years.

Myles pointed to a 2025 law change that made it easier for authorities to pursue out-of-state scammers. In response, the Legal Aid Society partnered with law enforcement agencies to launch the Halting Elder Abuse Response Team, or HEART.

“It opened the door for us to go after a lot of these individuals outside the state,” she said.

Meanwhile, Florida launched Operation Senior Shield (opseniorshieldfl.com) to educate older adults and caregivers about scams and fraud prevention.

Ultimately, experts say preparation, communication and vigilance remain the best defense.

“At least have the basics,” Gonzalez-Dockery said. “Avoid the guardianship and have those meaningful talks with your family members.”

IN THE KNOW

• Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, org
• Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida serves Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hendry, Lee and Sarasota counties: Aaaswfl.org,call 1-239-652-6900.
• Operation Senior Shield (com) educates older adults and caregivers about scams and fraud prevention.
• Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-96-ABUSE
• Collier County Legal Aid’s Senior Law Unit, CollierLegalAid.org