Private investigations
Elder Financial Exploitation Investigations
When money is leaving an older or vulnerable adult’s accounts and nobody can explain why, we trace where it went, who received it and how. Families, attorneys and fiduciaries get a documented record they can take to Adult Protective Services, the police or a court.
When you need an elder financial exploitation investigation
An elder financial exploitation investigation is a private inquiry into whether someone has taken or misused an older or vulnerable adult’s money or property, and how. Sometimes the person responsible is a stranger running a scam. Sometimes it is a caregiver, a new friend or a relative with a power of attorney. Either way, the job is the same: build a clear timeline from records, identify who received the money, and document it so the right authority can act. It draws on our financial investigations methods, applied with extra care for the person at the center of the case.
If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 first. If you suspect abuse, neglect or exploitation, also report it to Arizona Adult Protective Services. APS accepts reports online at any hour. An investigation by us supports those reports. It never replaces them.
Warning signs families tend to notice first:
- Large withdrawals, wires or gift card purchases the adult cannot explain.
- A new “friend,” online partner or helper who discourages contact with family.
- Changes to a will, trust, deed, beneficiary or joint account that came out of nowhere.
- Unpaid bills despite enough income, or mail from unfamiliar banks and lenders.
- Remote-access software on a computer, or a phone that rings with “support” calls.
- Secrecy about money from someone who used to talk openly about it.
What we cover
Romance and confidence scams
Long online relationships that turn into requests for money for travel, medical bills, customs fees or an “investment.” We document the communications, trace the payment trail and identify the accounts and names involved where records allow.
Tech-support and impersonation scams
Pop-ups, calls or emails claiming a computer is infected or a bank account is compromised, followed by remote access and instructions to move money “for safety.” Our cyber investigations team works out what the scammer accessed and what changed.
Trusted-person exploitation
Caregivers, relatives, agents under a power of attorney, or new acquaintances who gain control of accounts. We compare spending against the adult’s actual needs and the authority the person really held.
Property and document changes
Deeds, beneficiary changes and new joint accounts. We pull recorded documents and filings, and map any entities or people that benefited.
Reported losses keep rising. In its 2025 annual report, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center recorded 201,266 complaints from people aged 60 and over, with reported losses of more than 7.7 billion dollars. Tech and customer support scams were the second-largest loss category for that age group, after investment fraud, at over 1 billion dollars. Confidence and romance scams added more than 580 million dollars.
How it works
- Safety and reporting. We confirm 911 or APS has been contacted where needed. If our work later finds a reasonable basis to suspect exploitation, we tell the client in writing and help them get the report made.
- Authority check. We confirm who can lawfully share the adult’s records: the adult, an agent under a power of attorney, a conservator, a trustee or an attorney. We do not log in to anyone’s email or bank account without that authority.
- Money timeline. Statements, checks and transfer records the client provides are organized into one timeline showing when money left, how and to whom.
- Identify recipients. Public records, entity filings and open-source research connect payees to real people and businesses where the trail allows it.
- Device review. With proper consent, phones and computers are examined by our mobile forensics team to recover scam messages and remote-access traces before they are lost.
- Court-ready report. A written report built for APS, law enforcement, a probate court or a civil claim, with every source listed.
Arizona law on exploitation and reporting
- Who counts as a vulnerable adult. A.R.S. 46-451 defines a vulnerable adult as someone 18 or older who cannot protect themselves from abuse, neglect or exploitation because of a physical or mental impairment. Age alone does not qualify. It defines exploitation as the illegal or improper use of a vulnerable adult or their resources for another’s profit or advantage.
- The duty of a person in a position of trust. A.R.S. 46-456 requires anyone in a position of trust and confidence to a vulnerable adult to use the adult’s assets solely for the adult’s benefit, with narrow exceptions such as court approval. A violator faces actual damages, costs and attorney fees in a civil action, and the court may add up to two times the actual damages. The court can also order forfeiture of benefits the person would otherwise receive, including under wills, trusts and joint tenancies.
- Who must report. A.R.S. 46-454 requires health professionals, caregivers, social workers, peace officers, guardians, conservators and others with responsibility for a vulnerable adult’s care to report immediately to a peace officer or APS central intake when they have a reasonable basis to believe abuse, neglect or exploitation occurred. Attorneys, accountants, trustees and others who handle the adult’s property or tax records carry the same duty when they discover it in the course of that work.
- Recording and access limits. Arizona allows a party to a conversation to record it (A.R.S. 13-3005). We never record conversations we are not part of, pretext a bank or obtain phone records illegally.
Arizona’s retirement communities, from the West Valley to Green Valley and our own Oro Valley neighbors, and the winter visitors who arrive each season, make this a daily concern here. Pay closer attention after a big life change, such as a spouse’s death, a move to assisted living or a hospital stay, when routines break and new people suddenly have access.
A checklist for families and fiduciaries
- Report early. The legal standard is a reasonable basis to believe, not proof. Do not wait for us to finish to contact APS.
- Preserve, do not delete. Keep texts, emails, call logs, gift card receipts and wire slips. Screenshots help, but the original device helps more.
- Do not confront the suspect yet. Warning the person often leads to deleted messages and moved money.
- Confirm your authority. Know whether you hold a power of attorney, a conservatorship or a trustee role before requesting records.
- Be wary of “recovery” offers. Anyone who reaches out promising to get the money back for an upfront fee should be treated as a possible second scam.
- Screen new caregivers. Lawful background checks before someone gets access to the home and the checkbook.
Who this is for
- Adult children and family members
- Elder law and probate attorneys
- Guardians and conservators
- Trustees and agents under a power of attorney
- CPAs and financial advisers who spot red flags
- Senior living operators with a resident at risk
How it is priced
We do not publish prices. The scope depends on how many accounts and months of records are involved and whether devices need forensic work. We quote in writing before any work starts.
| Included | Quoted separately |
|---|---|
| Intake call and authority review | Forensic imaging of phones and computers |
| Money timeline from records you provide | Cryptocurrency tracing |
| Public records and entity research on recipients | Field surveillance in Arizona |
| Written report for APS, police or counsel | Testimony in probate or civil court |
| Guidance on preserving evidence | Asset searches to support recovery |
Frequently asked questions
Should we call you or APS first?
Call 911 if anyone is in danger. Then report to Arizona APS. You can contact us at the same time. Our investigation adds documentation and does not replace an official report.
Can you get Mom’s bank records without her permission?
No. Records must come from someone with legal authority, such as the account holder, an agent under a valid power of attorney, a conservator or a trustee, or through legal process. We work from what that authority allows.
Can you get the money back?
We cannot promise recovery. Our report shows where the money went and who received it, which your attorney can use in a civil claim under A.R.S. 46-456 or to support an asset search and judgment recovery effort.
What if the person taking money is a family member?
It happens, and it is handled the same way: records first, conclusions second. The report sets out facts, not family opinions, which helps when relatives disagree.
Can you find out who is behind an online romance?
Sometimes. Photos, profile details, payment instructions and messages can reveal reused identities or connected accounts. Overseas scammers may never be named, but the trail still helps police, banks and APS.
Related services
- Senior living security
- Blockchain forensics
- Email forensics and BEC investigation
- Skip tracing and people location
- Private investigations
Related guides
- Signs your elderly parent is being financially scammed
- Elder financial exploitation investigation guide
- Investigating elder abuse in Arizona
Sources: A.R.S. 46-456, duty to a vulnerable adult, A.R.S. 46-454, duty to report, Arizona DES, Adult Protective Services definitions, Arizona DES, report adult abuse, neglect and exploitation, FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, 2025 annual report.
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Guides on this topic
Stop the losses and document what happened
Send what you know through the online request form and it goes to the investigations team. If money is moving right now or someone is being pressured today, call 911 where there is danger, report to APS, and use our urgent intake form.