Anyone with an email address has undoubtedly received at least one email claiming that by sending a little processing fee to a bank in Africa, they might assist someone in receiving a sizable inheritance. You'll receive a sizable sum of money as payment for your trouble. Although it may appear like no one falls for these scams, they have been going around for a very long time and are still prevalent.

The elderly are one of the demographic groups that these frauds target most frequently. They are unfamiliar with the subtleties of administration and did not grow up in the modern digital environment. This contributes to the fact that California has among of the nation's strictest laws against elder abuse. You should retain legal counsel as quickly as possible if you are accused of financial elder abuse. For a free case review, read on to learn more, and then call Law Office of Michael L. Fell at (949) 585-9055.

Information on elder abuse legislation in California

There may not be a state with stricter elder abuse statutes than this one when it comes to financial abuse. According to California, financial elder abuse includes any sort of identity fraud or financial fraud perpetrated against a person who is at least 65 years old, including theft, embezzlement, and other types. If a person is regarded as a dependent adult legally, it may also apply to them if they are between the ages of 18 and 64.

As you can tell from the description, there are many different topics covered by this statute. Simple petty thievery or swindling an elderly person out of their house are examples of this. Regardless, you should call Law Office of Michael L. Fell at (949) 585-9055 as soon as possible if you've been accused of any form of financial elder abuse.

Penalties that might result from a finding of financial elder abuse

You should expect to get a harsh punishment if you are found guilty of financial elder abuse. It is a "wobbler," which means that, depending on the particulars of your case, the prosecutor may charge you with either a felony or a misdemeanor. Financial elder abuse is a misdemeanor that carries a maximum prison sentence of 364 days and a maximum fine of $1,000.

If you are accused of felony elder abuse and found guilty, you could face up to four years in jail and fines as high as $10,000. If the offense involved a burglary, this conviction would also count as one strike under California's infamous three strikes legislation.

Hire a lawyer now to assist you in moving ahead

The evidence against you will have a significant impact on how you should respond to your charge. Law Office of Michael L. Fell will fight to have unlawfully obtained material dismissed. If there is a lot of evidence, we might be able to get a felony downgraded to a misdemeanor. Whatever the case may be, you can rely on us to fight for the ideal resolution for you. Call us right away for a free consultation at (949) 585-9055.