How a Nosy Neighbor Can Take Advantage of an Elder
It all starts innocently enough. A neighbor befriends an elder and over time begins “helping” the elder by doing errands, driving them to doctor’s appointments, and helping them write checks or make online bill payments. Over time, the neighbor uses the trust they created to convince the elder to add them as a joint signer on their bank accounts and give them power of attorney to “help” manage their investments.
The Signs of Elder Financial Abuse
Of course, the elder is appreciative of the help, but as the nosy neighbor begins to push his or her way further into the elder’s affairs, the elder is powerless to stop them. The neighbor then begins to isolate the elder. They block phone calls from children and other family members, they deny the family members access to the house, and then the worst part begins.
Isolation: The Key Tactic of Manipulative Neighbors
The neighbor starts telling the elder lies about the elder’s children and family members. The neighbor will say things like “they don’t care about you,” “they never visit,” “they never call,” and “they are trying to steal your money; I’m the only one you can trust.” An elder that is vulnerable to undue influence can easily believe these lies, especially where some of them appear to be true. There are no calls, and there are no visits. But what the elder does not know is that the nosy neighbor is the one blocking calls and visits.
How Bad Actors Drain an Elder’s Assets
By the time children or other family members discover what is happening, the damage is already done. The elder’s bank accounts have been drained, their property has been transferred, and a new will and/or trust has been created benefiting the nosy neighbor. It all happens quickly and without anyone knowing the truth.
Not All Neighbors Are Bad—But Some Are
That’s not to say all neighbors are bad actors. There are plenty of good people helping elderly neighbors in appropriate ways. But when a nosy neighbor is also a bad actor, they can destroy the well-laid plans of the elder and upend the entire family inheritance plan.
Legal Actions to Protect Your Elderly Loved One
At Albertson & Davidson, LLP, we have helped countless clients whose parents were hijacked by nosy neighbors. We have seen it all by now—sham sales transactions that benefit the neighbor and rob the elder of their home, unnecessary “labor” charges for friends and family of the elder to supposedly upgrade the house or do other so-called services. These are just a couple of examples of how nosy neighbors drain an elder’s assets both before they die and after they pass away.
Act Fast: What to Do If Your Parent Is a Victim
If you find that your parent or elderly family member is the victim of a nosy neighbor, you have to act fast. Taking action in court under the California Elder Financial Abuse statute is key in protecting the elderly. You can also use that same statute after the elder’s passing to seek damages against the nosy neighbor. It is never easy to stand up and fight for an elder, but we have done it many times, and in cases like these, there is no other choice but to take action in court.
Don’t be a part of any inheritance horror stories
Albertson & Davidson, LLP has focused on trust and will litigation for over 18 years. We are the leading contingency trust and will litigation firm in the State of California. Our attorneys have successfully handled hundreds and hundreds of trust and will litigation cases and have obtained over $300 million in verdicts and settlements for our clients. We have the talent and we have the resources to handle your case and resolve any inheritance horror stories.
