Suspected Elder Abuse Claims Quadrupled in 4 Years — Here's What to Know and How to Protect Your Loved Ones by Alix Langone Older Americans are at risk for losing more money than ever, thanks to a rise in financial exploitation targeting the elderly. Financial scams and other crimes singling out older Americans quadrupled from 2013 to 2017 and involved more than $6 billion in fraud, according to a new report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.