Report Elder Abuse, Neglect or Scams

The federal resource center on elder abuse, neglect and exploitation. It explains warning signs and links to how to report abuse in each state.

When to use it: Use when you suspect your parent is being abused, neglected or financially exploited and want to understand next steps.

If your parent is in immediate danger, call 911.

Adult Protective Services investigates abuse, neglect and exploitation of older adults and adults with disabilities. Pick your state to get its reporting hotline, most of which answer 24/7, and online reporting links. Reports are confidential.

When to use it: Use when you suspect abuse, neglect, self-neglect or financial exploitation of your parent, whether at home or elsewhere.

NAPSA does not take reports itself; call your state APS, or 911 in an emergency.

A free DOJ hotline for fraud against anyone 60 or older. A case manager helps you report to the right federal, state and local agencies and connects you to support. Help is available in English, Spanish and other languages.

When to use it: Call as soon as you think your parent has been scammed or financially exploited.

Mon-Fri 10am-6pm ET

Report scams, fraud and bad business practices to the FTC online or by phone. Reports help law enforcement track scammers and the site gives next steps.

When to use it: Use after a scam, especially impersonation, prize, tech support or investment scams.

The FTC will never demand money or tell you to move money to protect it. If the website is down, use the phone line.

The FTC's official site for reporting identity theft and getting a step-by-step recovery plan, including credit freezes.

When to use it: Use if someone has opened accounts, filed taxes or used Medicare or Social Security numbers in your parent's name.

The FBI's portal for reporting online and cyber-enabled fraud, with a section on elder fraud (people 60 and older) such as grandparent, tech support and 'phantom hacker' scams.

When to use it: Use when the scam involved the internet, email, phone apps, wire transfers or cryptocurrency.

Scammers impersonate IC3; the real IC3 never contacts you first asking for money. Also call your parent's bank right away to try to stop transfers.

A free helpline, open to non-members, where trained specialists help you figure out if something is a scam, what to do next, and offer support after fraud.

When to use it: Call when you are unsure whether a call, letter or request to your parent is a scam, or need emotional support after one.

The helpline gives guidance and support but does not investigate or recover money.

Mon-Fri 8am-8pm ET

Free, confidential, 24/7 support by call, text or chat for anyone in emotional distress or suicidal crisis, including exhausted caregivers. Veterans can press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line; Spanish text and chat, TTY and videophone are available.

When to use it: Use any time you or your parent feels hopeless, overwhelmed or unsafe.

24/7

Suspected abuse, neglect or unsafe conditions in a nursing home should be reported to your State Survey Agency, which investigates, and to the Long-Term Care Ombudsman, who advocates for the resident. CMS lists each state's survey agency complaint line and web form.

When to use it: Use when you see signs of abuse or neglect in your parent's facility.

If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 first.

Senior Medicare Patrol volunteers and staff help you review Medicare statements, report suspected Medicare fraud, and protect your parent's Medicare number from scammers.

When to use it: Use when someone calls asking for your parent's Medicare number or bills show services never received.

The Eldercare Locator can connect you to local elder abuse prevention programs, Adult Protective Services and the long-term care ombudsman when you are not sure who handles a problem.

When to use it: Call when you suspect a problem but do not know which local agency to contact.

For an emergency, call 911.

Mon-Fri 8am-9pm ET