To report someone taking advantage of a disabled person, call Adult Protective Services through the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116, which connects you to the APS office in the state where the person lives. Call 911 first if the person is in immediate physical danger. For financial exploitation, you can also call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-372-8311, and if the disabled person lives in a nursing home or assisted living facility, contact the state’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman. Reports are confidential, most states allow anonymous reports, and federal rules require APS to respond in person within 24 hours when there is immediate risk.
Signs That Justify a Report
You do not need proof. APS investigates on reasonable suspicion, and the investigator’s job is to determine what actually happened. What you need is a genuine, good-faith concern based on something you have seen or learned.
Financial signs are often the clearest: unexplained withdrawals, sudden changes to a will or power of attorney, new names added to bank accounts, purchases the disabled person would not have made, or unpaid bills stacking up when a caregiver controls the money. Physical and medical signs include untreated conditions, poor hygiene, malnutrition, bedsores, or unexplained injuries in someone who has a paid caregiver. Behavioral changes matter too, particularly when they line up with someone new gaining control over the person’s daily life: sudden withdrawal, visible fear when a specific person is around, changes in eating or sleeping, excessive apologizing, or new depression or anxiety without a medical cause. Isolation is a tactic, not an accident. If a disabled person who used to see friends, family, or social workers is suddenly cut off, and someone else is screening the calls or turning visitors away, treat that as a red flag rather than a coincidence.
Where to Call, Based on the Situation
Adult Protective Services
APS is the primary agency for investigating abuse, neglect, and exploitation of vulnerable adults. Every state runs one. Federal regulations set its core duties: take reports, investigate, and arrange services to protect the victim. If you do not know your local APS number, call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116, a national service run by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.1U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. How Do I Report Elder Abuse or Abuse of an Older Person or Senior
Federal rules require APS to prioritize by risk. Immediate-danger cases get an in-person response within 24 hours. Cases without immediate risk have up to seven calendar days.2eCFR. 45 CFR Part 1324 Subpart D – Adult Protective Services Programs
Law Enforcement
Call 911 for immediate physical danger. For non-emergencies where you believe a crime has occurred, call the local police or county sheriff’s non-emergency line and ask to file a report. APS and police often work the same case from different angles, so contacting both is appropriate when there is criminal conduct.
The National Elder Fraud Hotline
For financial exploitation, the Department of Justice runs the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-372-8311. Case managers help victims and families report the crime and reach other resources. The hotline serves adults with disabilities as well as older adults, despite the name.3Office for Victims of Crime. National Elder Fraud Hotline
The Bank or Credit Union
If you see suspicious activity in a disabled person’s accounts, tell the bank directly. Under the Bank Secrecy Act, financial institutions must file a Suspicious Activity Report when they know or suspect a transaction involves funds from illegal activity, including elder financial exploitation.4FinCEN. FinCEN Advisory on Elder Financial Exploitation Many banks have dedicated teams for these cases, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau publishes additional guidance on reporting financial abuse.5Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Reporting Elder Financial Abuse
Long-Term Care Ombudsman
If the disabled person lives in a nursing home, assisted living facility, or other residential care setting, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program is the right first call alongside APS. Authorized under Title VII of the Older Americans Act, ombudsmen investigate and resolve complaints on behalf of residents. The program handled nearly 183,000 resident complaints in 2022, resolving roughly three-quarters of them.6Congress.gov. Older Americans Act – Overview and Funding The Eldercare Locator will route you to your state’s program.
Protection and Advocacy Organizations
Every state has a federally funded Protection and Advocacy (P&A) system with specific authority to investigate abuse and neglect of people with disabilities. These organizations operate independently from the agencies that provide treatment or services, so they can investigate without a conflict of interest. Under the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness Act, P&A systems can investigate abuse and neglect, access facilities where people with disabilities receive care, and pursue legal remedies for victims.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC Chapter 114 – Protection and Advocacy for Individuals With Mental Illness The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act extends similar authority for people with developmental disabilities.8eCFR. 45 CFR 1326.21 – Requirements and Authority of the State Protection and Advocacy System To find yours, search “protection and advocacy” plus your state’s name or check the National Disability Rights Network.
Misuse of Federal Benefits
If a Social Security representative payee is misusing someone’s benefits, report it to the SSA Office of the Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov. The OIG investigates fraud, waste, and abuse in SSA programs, including payee misuse, and lets you request confidentiality or report anonymously.9Office of the Inspector General. Report Fraud
For a disabled veteran, report a VA fiduciary suspected of misusing benefits to the VA’s regional fiduciary hub. The Hub Manager can investigate and issue a written misuse determination, and if misuse is confirmed the VA Regional Office must notify the VA Office of Inspector General within 30 days.10eCFR. 38 CFR 13.400 – Misuse of Benefits
A Court-Appointed Guardian or Conservator
When the person doing the exploiting is a court-appointed guardian or conservator, the danger is worse because the victim has already been declared unable to act independently. Report the conduct to the court that made the appointment. The court can investigate, remove the guardian, and appoint a replacement. You can also report in parallel to APS and to your state’s P&A organization, both of which can investigate independently.
What to Have Ready Before You Call
A specific, documented report moves faster through intake. Pull together what you can:
- Financial records showing unauthorized withdrawals, altered checks, or suspicious transfers
- Medical records showing untreated conditions, missed appointments, or unexplained injuries
- Photographs of injuries, living conditions, or the person’s physical state
- A written timeline of specific incidents with dates
- Names and contact information for anyone else who has observed the situation
When you make the call, be ready to give the disabled person’s name, age, and location; the suspected abuser’s name and relationship to the victim; what you have observed; and how urgent it feels. Most APS offices take reports by phone, and many also have online forms. If you are a mandated reporter (healthcare worker, social worker, nursing home staff, law enforcement officer, or similar professional), most states require you to report as soon as you suspect abuse, not after you have confirmed it.
What Happens After You Report
APS runs intake screening first to decide whether the allegations meet its investigation criteria. If they do, a caseworker is assigned and the case is prioritized by severity. The caseworker contacts someone with reliable information within 24 hours of intake and then makes a face-to-face visit with the alleged victim within the timeframe set by the priority level. During the visit the caseworker assesses safety, gathers evidence, and determines whether abuse, neglect, or exploitation occurred.
If APS substantiates the report and the person accepts help, the agency puts together a service plan. That can include arranging medical care, securing finances, connecting the person with legal aid, or coordinating with law enforcement. APS can also refer the case to court for an emergency protective order or a guardianship proceeding. If the victim has the capacity to refuse services and does, APS generally cannot force intervention, but a criminal referral can still move forward.
Can You Get in Trouble for Reporting?
This is the question that stops many callers. The short answer is no, if you report in good faith.
Federal law encourages states to give reporters immunity from prosecution, and the Older Americans Act specifically calls for state abuse prevention systems to include those protections.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 3058i – Prevention of Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Most states have enacted them, shielding good-faith reporters from civil and criminal liability even when the investigation does not confirm the allegations. Good faith means you genuinely believe something is wrong based on what you have observed. You do not have to verify every detail first.
For workplace retaliation, the Americans with Disabilities Act’s anti-retaliation provision prohibits discrimination against a person who has opposed an unlawful act under the statute or participated in an investigation.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 12203 – Prohibition Against Retaliation and Coercion If an employer fires or disciplines you for reporting disability-related abuse, you may have a retaliation claim.
What the Exploiter Faces
Every state criminalizes abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation of vulnerable adults, though charges and penalties vary by state and by the amount involved. Cases can be charged as misdemeanors or felonies, and felony convictions for financial exploitation commonly carry prison time, fines, and restitution. Federal penalties add up quickly when government benefits are involved: a representative payee who converts Social Security benefits to their own use faces up to five years in prison, and professionals who submit false evidence in SSA proceedings face up to ten.13Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 1383a – Penalties for Fraud A conviction also permanently bars the person from serving as a representative payee. The disabled person or a legal representative can also sue the exploiter civilly to recover stolen assets, and many states authorize enhanced remedies including attorney’s fees, double or treble damages, and punitive damages. Civil and criminal cases can proceed at the same time, and a criminal conviction can be used as evidence in the civil suit.