Protecting an elderly person's money when family access may have been misused

totalnightmare

I’d really value hearing from anyone who’s been through something similar.

I’m helping an elderly relative with dementia whose finances have become complicated. While she was abroad for a while, another family member had her bank card and access to one of her accounts. Looking back through statements, there now seem to be a number of transfers, withdrawals and purchases that don’t look right.  

The situation is already being reviewed formally, but I’d like to understand what practical steps others have taken in comparable circumstances.

For example:

Did you go straight to the bank or the police, or did you raise it through a solicitor first?

How did you protect your relative’s funds while things were being looked into?

Were you able to get money reimbursed or recovered later on?

Any tips for documenting what happened so it’s taken seriously?

I’m not asking for legal advice—just hoping to hear from people who’ve dealt with safeguarding or suspected misuse of an elderly relative’s account, and how you approached it.

Thanks in advance for any shared experience.

Keep_pedalling

Does anyone have power of attorney or deputyship for her?

tetrarch

Does your relative have any kind of POA in place?

Regards

Tet

MyRealNameToo

totalnightmare said:

I’d really value hearing from anyone who’s been through something similar.

I’m helping an elderly relative with dementia whose finances have become complicated. While she was abroad for a while, another family member had her bank card and access to one of her accounts. Looking back through statements, there now seem to be a number of transfers, withdrawals and purchases that don’t look right.  

The situation is already being reviewed formally, but I’d like to understand what practical steps others have taken in comparable circumstances.

For example:

Did you go straight to the bank or the police, or did you raise it through a solicitor first?

How did you protect your relative’s funds while things were being looked into?

Were you able to get money reimbursed or recovered later on?

Any tips for documenting what happened so it’s taken seriously?

I’m not asking for legal advice—just hoping to hear from people who’ve dealt with safeguarding or suspected misuse of an elderly relative’s account, and how you approached it.

Thanks in advance for any shared experience.

Need much more detail... how did the person have access to the funds? Was it a joint account with the person? Did they just lend them their card and pin? Was it formal third party access?

What was the agreement when access was given? What was the state of mind of the now elder when this was done? How certain can you be of what the agreement was at the time? Was there any power of attorney, deputyship or other formal control? 

born_again

Bank will not speak to you unless you have POA or 3rd party mandate, on the persons acc.
Police will cite Civil matter.
Not sure what a solicitor would do.

You could speak to the person who had the card, as it is possible that this is all genuine. Given the mention of dementia.

Who flagged the issue?