Social Media Toolkit: Financial Exploitation Awareness Month

Promote Financial Exploitation Awareness

October is Financial Exploitation Awareness Month. It's a good reminder for all Texans to look out for and help older adults in our communities. Financial exploitation is the illegal or improper use of another person’s money or property for personal profit or gain. Financial exploitation of older adults and those with disabilities is a major problem. Stopping it is everyone’s business.

Signs can include:

  • Cashing checks without the account owner’s permission.
  • Sudden changes in bank account balances or banking practices.
  • Individuals accompanying account owner to withdraw large sums of money.
  • Adding extra names on a bank signature card.
  • Unapproved ATM card withdrawals.
  • Sudden changes in a will or other financial instruments.
  • Forged signature on financial transactions or property titles.
  • Unexplained missing money or valuables.
  • Unpaid bills despite having enough money.
  • Relatives suddenly claiming rights to a person’s affairs and property.
  • Unexplained transfer of assets.
  • Paying bills that do not belong to the account holder.

Adult Protective Services is working with stakeholders and professional groups around the state to raise awareness.  Help spread the word about financial exploitation awareness month within your networks and communities online. To help you reach as many individuals as possible, we’ve put together this social media toolkit, which includes informative messages and resources that everyone can use to help keep adults with disabilities and older adults safe.

This toolkit includes:

These resources can be used as they are, or they can be customized as needed to better serve your target community. Include one to two recommended hashtags in your posts to strengthen the message online. Be sure to follow @TexasDFPS and tag us on Twitter and Facebook!

How can you use social media to promote Financial Exploitation Awareness Month?
Share and create posts on your preferred social media sites that help promote the month. Posts could be about:

  • Coverage of events for the month
  • Helpful information & resources
  • Sample posts from this toolkit
  • General content promoting awareness about financial exploitation

Sample Social Media Posts

  • Taking the money or property of adults with disabilities, or who are 65 or older, is a crime. Call 800-252-5400 or report online: www.txabusehotline.org. #StopFinancialExploitation
  • Stopping financial exploitation is everyone’s business. Call 800-252-5400 or report online: www.txabusehotline.org. #EveryonesBusiness
  • If it’s not your money, it’s a crime. Stop financial exploitation of adults with disabilities, or who are 65 and over. Call 800-252-5400 or report online: www.txabusehotline.org. #FinancialExploitationAbuseAwarenessMonth
  • If you suspect a person who is 65 or older or who has disabilities is being financially exploited, call the Texas Abuse Hotline at 800-252-5400 or report online: www.txabusehotline.org.  #StopFinancialExploitation
  • Help the older adults in your life avoid scams and fraud that could affect their privacy and finances. #FinancialExploitationAbuseAwarenessMonth Take the time to teach them how to stay safe from exploitation with these resources: https://bit.ly/34gWU2d
  • Communities and neighbors can #Volunteer to prevent elder abuse through small acts of kindness and service for older Texans! #FinancialExploitationAbuseAwarenessMonth Learn how you can help here: https://bit.ly/3yicHhB
  • DYK: Texas has more than 2.5 million residents age 65 or older? #FinancialExploitationAbuseAwarenessMonth is a good reminder that protecting older adults from abuse is everyone’s business. Learn the signs and how to report abuse here: https://bit.ly/3yp5fku

Sample Graphics

To download, right click on an image to save it.

Financial Exploitation. If it's not your money, it's a crime. DFPS. EveryonesBusiness.org

Financial Exploitation is abuse. DFPS. EveryonesBusiness.org

You can help stop fiancial exploitation. DFPS. EveryonesBusiness.org

Financial Exploitation. If it's not your money, it's a crime. DFPS. EveryonesBusiness.org

You can help stop fiancial exploitation. DFPS. EveryonesBusiness.org

Twitter Sizes (2x1)

Financial Exploitation. If it's not your money, it's a crime. DFPS. EveryonesBusiness.org

Financial Exploitation is abuse. DFPS. EveryonesBusiness.org

You can help stop fiancial exploitation. DFPS. EveryonesBusiness.org

Financial Exploitation is abuse. DFPS. EveryonesBusiness.org

You can help stop fiancial exploitation. DFPS. EveryonesBusiness.org

Hashtags

Hashtags can increase the strength of your posts on social media. Consider using one or more of these if appropriate for your Financial Exploitation Awareness Month content.

#FinancialExploitation
#FinancialExploitationAwarenessMonth
#StopFinancialExploitation
#Volunteer
#EveryonesBusiness
#ElderAbuse