A Summary of Financial Exploitation Tools and Partnerships
 

By Kendra Kuehn, NAPSA

September 2025

The most recent National Adult Maltreatment Reporting System (NAMRS) data highlights financial exploitation as a significant issue in adult protective services (APS), second only to self-neglect in number of cases. In addition to NAMRS, data from agencies such as the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCen)  and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) highlight upward trends in exploitation and fraud cases and amounts lost. APS professionals at the 2025 National Adult Protective Services Association’s (NAPSA) Annual Financial Exploitation Summit shared challenges from the increasing complexity of cases and the need for supportive partners. Today we’re following up with a roundup of tools and resources shared at the summit to address the issue and support investigation of financial exploitation. 

Gathering Data: Tools for Financial Exploitation Investigations   

Well-chosen tools lighten the load. The New York State Office of Children & Family Services Bureau of Adult Services (OCFS BAS) saw a need for an easy organizational tool on financial exploitation. Through a U.S. Administration for Community Living grant and in partnership with Webber CPA, PLLC, OCFS BAS developed the Financial Exploitation Investigation Suite of Tools (FEIST). The FEIST process is not intended to replace an investigation process but to supplement with questions specific to financial exploitation. Phase I helps the investigator determine if financial exploitation can be ruled out. If it cannot, Phase II supports a thorough and well-documented investigation into suspected financial exploitation. After reviewing the toolkit to ensure alignment with policies and practice, Texas Adult Protective Services took FEIST a step further by integrating it into its referral process for forensic accounting review. Investigators include a packet of materials when referring cases to the contracted forensic accountant. Texas APS found that using FEIST for coordination with forensic accountants was a positive and sustainable practice. Look for ways tools can be adapted to your program.

Even when records and financial transactions have been gathered, organizing and finding trends may be a challenge. The objective of the Senior Abuse Financial Tracking and Accounting Tool (SAFTA) developed by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) is to help front-line workers easily investigate suspicious patterns and support prosecution. Originally developed for law enforcement, it can easily be used by APS investigators to develop a comprehensive and straightforward case for referral or prosecution. The tool is limited to analyzing checking and savings accounts. For more complex cases, APS may want to consult forensic accountants or financial advisors.
 

Tools like FEIST and SAFTA may be helpful to APS but are only as good as the information put into them. The federal Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act authorizes financial institutions to share records with APS as an authorized civil investigation by a government authority. But states continue to report difficulty around obtaining records and procedures demanded. The Standard Form to Request Financial Records was developed by the Philadelphia Corporation for the Aging and NAPSA to address this issue and educate partners. The form is straightforward in highlighting what records are requested, lists the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, and provides space to enter state statute if available. Feedback from APS programs has been positive, especially when paired with relationship building. 

Building Partnerships: Uncovering Allies

Regardless of the presentation or event, the need to build partnerships is always mentioned. The summit was no different and endeavored to include partners from financial institutions to regulatory agencies. Partners in the financial realm may have resources and tools APS agencies are not aware of yet.

The American Bankers Association (ABA) has worked to raise awareness of financial exploitation but can also be a partner to APS agencies. In listening sessions sponsored by NAPSA, both APS and banks highlighted the need for greater communication, education, and collaboration. This starts with having a point of contact. In addition to a national organization, there are state bankers associations nationwide. Through the ABA state association contact list, APS can reach out to build an initial connection, provide mutual education, or find support on challenges.

The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) was initially founded to bring together accountants, who weren’t experts in investigating fraud, and investigators, who weren’t skilled in accounting. The mission of ACFE continues to focus on setting high standards to reduce fraud. Although it is a membership association, it offers a wide variety of publicly available resources including white papers, podcasts, and videos. Most significantly, the ACFE offers a public directory. Summit panelists highlighted the directory as a starting point for building out multidisciplinary partnerships or finding support.

The Association of Certified Financial Crime Specialists (ACFCS) works to empower financial crime specialists with the tools and resources needed to detect and prevent financial crime. The CFCS credential is available to any professional involved in financial crime prevention and covers a broad range of topics. Understanding the ACFCS certification can bring in a variety of partners. ACFCS’ podcasts are also publicly available.

Regulatory agencies have also been present at events and are important allies. FINRA is a self-regulatory organization for member broker-dealers. In recent years it has released several regulations APS should be familiar with, including allowing for trusted contacts in accounts and creating report and hold allowances when exploitation is suspected. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCen) is under the U.S. Treasury Department and regulates banks and other financial institutions relating to financial crime. APS should particularly be aware of its work with Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs), which include a checkbox if older adult financial exploitation is suspected. SARs are submitted to FinCen and should not replace reports to APS. While SARs are only available to law enforcement, APS can work with law enforcement on sharing data and trends.

Getting Support: Helplines

Discussions at the summit highlighted the many resources and helplines for both consumers and professionals on financial exploitation. AARP’s Fraud Watch Network offers a consumer helpline as well as fraud victim support groups. FINRA’s Securities Helpline is available for older adult investors as well as professionals serving older adults. The helpline can assist with finding information or answering concerns. And Congress has a helpline too! The Senate Special Committee on Aging has a fraud hotline and webform. In addition to providing tips and referrals, the calls help to inform the annual Fraud Book put out by the committee.

Key: Tools and Relationships

Throughout the 2025 summit the importance of good tools and partnerships was apparent. Partnership and communication work together to input the best information into our tools for the most effective outcome. Keep sharing those tools and collaborations!

 

The APS Blog is updated regularly with posts from contributing authors and new publications from the APS TARC.

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