Protection from Financial Exploitation

Financial exploitation affects persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities daily. According to DSHS' Adult Protective Services, in 2018, financial exploitation comprised 24% of the 12,000+ allegations investigated.

Learn More

• Informing Families created a video for adults with developmental disabilities about financial exploitation: Learn the Signs, Protect Yourself, and Get Help.
• If you are a financial caregiver (including power of attorney, court-appointed guardians, and representative payees), learn your role. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau created general guides for financial caregivers. These are not specific to Washington, but offer general guidance.
• Washington LawHelp provides information and legal resources, including information on money and debt such as consumer fraud and managing money, to people with low to moderate incomes.
• The Developmental Disabilities Administration gathered information for care providers about who is required to report different types of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. DDA also documented how to report abuse, red flags to watch for, and prevention ideas. Find out more in our care provider bulletin, Reporting Abuse and Neglect.

Make a Report

• Report concerns involving vulnerable adults.
• Report child abuse or neglect.

Contact us for questions or feedback.