Elder abuse

What is Elder Abuse?

Elder abuse is abuse or neglect that is targeted and causes harm to an older person. Some forms of elder abuse include financial, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse or neglect and the abuser could be a family member, a friend, partner, or carer.

Some examples of elder abuse include:

• Abusing power of attorney
• Fraud and scams
• Abusing family agreements
• Theft
• Inheritance impatience
• Failure to provide care
• Emotional manipulation

The elderly are at a greater risk of abuse due to these possible factors:

• Poorer physical and mental health
• An increase in social isolation
• Greater dependency on others as a result of the above

Keep your finances safe

Preventing financial abuse can be difficult. However, below are some preventative measures you can take to try protect yourself and keep your finances safe:

• Ensure that you are up to date with the latest scams. Visit our Fraud and Security Hub for more information about scams.
• Pick the right support team. If you are worried about elder abuse, select a trusted support team for you. This can be other family members, lawyers, doctors, bank staff or financial advisors.
• Consider setting up a third-party authorisation to help you manage your accounts.
• Ensure that anyone who has third-party authorisations over your accounts is trusted.
• Don’t share your card PIN, app PIN, or online banking password. If these details have been compromised, ensure you change them and keep the new passwords safe.
• If you can, it’s important to check your bank accounts regularly and monitor for any unauthorised transactions
• Never sign any legal documents that you don’t understand
• If possible, have a discussion with someone you trust about concerns you may have
• Ensure no on else has access to or is opening your mail or emails

Getting help and support

If you are in immediate danger, call emergency services on 000

If you are worried about your financial situation, please call us on 1300 747 747, send us a Secure Mail within Online Banking or alternatively:

Email: [email protected]
Fax: (02) 9582 3452
Mail: Qudos Bank, Locked Bag 5020 Mascot NSW 1460

If you believe your security has been compromised or notice a transaction you did not authorise, contact us immediately on 1300 747 747 (Mon-Fri 7am-7pm and Sat 9am-5pm). If your card is lost or stolen, please ensure that you report it immediately in Online Banking or by contacting us on 1800 621 199 (24 hours toll free).

External support services

Please contact one of the below organisations for free and confidential support