Protecting Seniors

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has the third highest percentage of elderly residents in the United States with nearly 2 million residents over the age of 65. Scam artist of all types take advantage of this and target this generation.

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Protecting Vulnerable Pennsylvanians

Addressing the Issues

Pennsylvania has one of the largest senior populations in the U.S., and we aim to protect that vulnerable sector of our population from scams theft and abuse — from both unknown and known actors. In October 2025, we launched the Elder Exploitation Section to address the latter threat: a relative, caregiver, or power of attorney who steals from the senior. Equipped with a statute from the Pa. Legislature, we investigate and, when appropriate, file felony charges against offenders who steal from older Pennsylvanians.

Statistically, senior citizens are favored targets for many kinds of consumer fraud including identity theft, charities, telemarketing and sweepstakes fraud. The Public Protection Division in the Office of the Attorney General addresses those types of consumer complaints as well as health care issues, violations of the Pennsylvania Do Not Call Law, and numerous other subjects.

Tips for Preventing Elderly Abuse

The Attorney General’s Office believes that each of us has a role to play in preventing elder abuse and recommends the following tips for family member or caregivers to identify elderly abuse:

  • Be attentive to an elderly person’s physical well-being. Look for any abrasions, bruises, fractures, burns or any other injury. These may be signs of physical abuse.
  • Look for signs of psychological abuse such as threats, intimidation or humiliation. Signs may include low self-esteem, withdrawal, extreme changes in mood, suicidal behavior, confusion or disorientation.
  • Be watchful of signs of neglect, such as poor hygiene, malnutrition, improper medication, or soiled clothing.
  • Look for an unusual or large bank account withdrawal. This may be a sign that someone is exploiting the elderly person’s financial resources.
  • Keep an eye out for the common signs that thy may be falling prey to a scam, such as frequent calls from telemarketers, shoddy home improvement work, numerous product purchases or ongoing charitable or religious donations. The loss of what may seem a minimal amount of money to someone with an average income may result in an elderly person having to go without food, medication or possibly his or her home.
  • Talk about their daily activities and contacts to ensure that nothing unusual is occurring or being concealed.

If you have any reason to suspect that an elderly person may be victimized in any way, call, email or fill out a complaint form.

1-866-623-2137 (toll-free helpline)

se*****@*************al.gov

Elder Abuse Complaint Form

Keeping Pennsylvania Seniors Stay Safe and Informed

How We Can Help

The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General is committed to protecting older adults from fraud, scams, abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation.

Combating Medicaid Fraud and Patient Abuse

Protecting Patients

The Medicaid Fraud Control Section (MFCS) investigates and prosecutes fraud committed by Medicaid providers, including false billing, kickbacks, and other schemes that misuse taxpayer-funded healthcare dollars.

Learn More about MFCS

Office of Public Engagement

Senior Education

Educational programs on scam prevention, identity theft, and other issues affecting older Pennsylvanians help empowering seniors and their families with the knowledge needed to stay safe and informed.

View Programs Offered for Seniors

committed to protecting elder veterans

Pennsylvanian Veterans

Pennsylvania is home to hundreds of thousands of veterans, many of whom are older adults and the Office works to ensure these elder veterans remain safe, informed, and protected.

Tips for Our Veterans