June 11, 2026: Wisconsin Agencies Partner, Share Resources for World Elder Abuse Awarenes​s Day

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 11, 2026
Contact: Molly Mueller, Public Information Officer, (608) 910-1929, [email protected]

MADISON, Wis. - World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is fast approaching on June 15, 2026. State agencies including the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), and Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) are partnering to raise awareness of how older consumers and investors are exploited by bad actors - and how they can stay protected.

Every year, older consumers report losing billions of dollars to scams and fraud. Seniors continue to lose more money to scams and fraud than younger consumers. They are targeted because of cultural stereotypes that assume older adults are more likely to have accrued wealth, be comfortable speaking to strangers, be less familiar with emerging technologies, be prone to confusion due to medication or illness, and be isolated from their friends, family, and community. Scammers may even use personal information taken from obituaries or social media posts to target specific seniors when they are most vulnerable.

"DATCP educates and informs consumers about the latest scams, and we help consumers recover from fraud," said DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski. "But to protect the more than one million Wisconsinites who are 65 or older, we partner with other state agencies, law enforcement, organizations, and everyday people who are willing to tell their families, neighbors and loved ones about scam prevention."

"We are committed to empowering older investors in Wisconsin and their loved ones with the tools they need to prevent investment fraud. Knowledge and vigilance are our best defenses against scammers," said DFI Secretary-designee Wendy K. Baumann. "Always remember to pause before committing to anything. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Once the money is in the scammer's hands, it is usually impossible to get it back, especially with cryptocurrency investments. Call us with questions before investing - the scammers have well-designed scripts to counter investor objections."

"Awareness is key to preventing elder abuse," said Attorney General Josh Kaul. "By learning about signs of elder abuse, you can be better prepared to help stop it from happening."

"We all have a role to play to keep older adults safe and secure in their communities," said DHS Secretary Kirsten Johnson. "Making sure people know what to look for and where to report elder abuse provides older Wisconsinites the security and freedom they deserve."

Scammers may target older adults by exploiting social media, texts and calls, emails, pop-ups on computers or phones, or other contact methods and pretend to be:

• A real friend, acquaintance, or family member
• An online romantic partner
• A government official or program like Medicare, the U.S. Treasury, or law enforcement
• A professional investor or investment coach
• A tech support agent