Posts Tagged ‘Financial Abuse’

After the last kids moved out, Mom and Dad have rented out the spare bedrooms along the lines of AirB&B. Recently, though, they were approached by a young woman who said she wanted to escape an abusive husband. She pays rent, but it’s a new crisis every week, often costing more than the rent. Dad’s a softie for sad stories, so he’s bought her groceries, blankets, and so on. Last week she asked Dad for $600 for car repairs. After he hesitated, I saw her lifting Dad’s credit card while he took a nap. Dad’s getting drained of cash, and it’s got to be a few thousand dollars by now. My folks are easy prey, and I’m trying to figure out how to stop the grifting. Please help.

My sister is playing a dangerous game with our well-to-do Mom. She knows Mom’s in the early stages of dementia and can’t keep track of her own finances. Sister has been telling Mom how her granddaughter Lyndi is now driving age and needs a new car. We’re not talking cheap either! Sister is counting on being able to dupe Mom into spending lavishly to please her granddaughter. Grassflower, Mom WORKED for her money. I think my sister is just being manipulative and selfish. What’s going to happen when Mom really needs the money to pay for her own care? I feel like she’s being taken to the cleaners!

Dad’s always been politically opinionated. He gets calls from dozens of campaigns and while balancing his checkbook I found $1000 in donations in one month! I think he’s slipping mentally. He’s fallen for phone scams and is easy prey. I’m trying to plan for his care and I’m concerned he won’t have enough savings when he needs to go to a care facility. What are my options? If I bring up guardianship or even being a signatory on his bank account, he says I’m after his inheritance and should “wait for him to die first.” I feel trapped.