Senior Advocacy
As the elderly population grows in Illinois and across our nation, protecting older citizens continues to be one of the most important responsibilities of the Attorney General's Office. Far too often, scam artists perceive senior citizens as vulnerable and relatively wealthy due to their ability to access retirement accounts and pensions. As a result, seniors are a frequent target of a wide range of consumer fraud scams. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul works to protect all Illinois seniors by taking legal action against those who prey on seniors and supporting legislation to toughen penalties against those who commit crimes against the elderly.
The Attorney General provides a Senior Citizens Consumer Fraud Helpline. To contact the hotline, please call 1-800-243-5377 or email seniorhelpline@ilag.gov.
Sadly, financial exploitation is not the only threat to seniors' safety. Physical and sexual abuse of elderly citizens is far too prevalent. These often unreported crime is devastating to both victims and family members. In response to this serious problem, the Attorney General's Office is working with advocates, other government agencies, and law enforcement officials to root out abuse.
Illinois residents, particularly those who are in vulnerable conditions, must be safeguarded from harm. They may be residents in long-term care facilities such as nursing homes and often are seniors. The Attorney General will aggressively investigate those who cheat our programs or hurt beneficiaries. Members of the public can effectively advocate for this vulnerable population by reporting patient safety and fraud concerns.
In addition, should you, or someone you know, be in urgent life-threatening danger, please call 911 for an immediate response. Medical authorities can address the issue quickly and alert the proper authorities that a nursing home may be failing to keep residents safe.
Downloadable Resources
Stay connected with our senior newsletter and other alerts for older residents
- Fall 2022 Senior AGEnda
- Just Hang Up! Avoid Telephone Scams - English
- Just Hang Up! Avoid Telephone Scams - Spanish
- Just Hang Up! Avoid Telephone Scams - Polish
- Romance/Sweetheart Scam Alert
- Medicare Open Enrollment Scam Alert
- Social Security Benefits Scam Targets Seniors
- Grandparents Scam - English
- Grandparents Scam - Polish
Additional Resources
- Do Not Call Registry
Decrease the number of unwanted phone solicitations with this federal program
- Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services Registry
Get connected to resources if you or someone you love is experiencing physical, emotional, sexual or economic abuse
- Health Care Assistance
If you have questions about your current health or prescription drug plans, or if you need help related to medical providers, the Attorney General's Health Care Bureau can assist
- Identity Theft Hotline
Specially-trained advocates can assist in reporting and restoring identity theft instances
- Veterans Issues
If you served in the military or have a family member who is a veteran, the Attorney General's Military and Veterans Rights Bureau has resources to assist
TRIAD Program
The Attorney General's Office is pleased to participate in the following programs to help protect Illinois' older citizens:
- The Attorney General's Office is proud to be a founding member of Illinois TRIAD and to have served on its board since 1990. Working with the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Board and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, Illinois TRIAD was one of the first organizations in the nation to guide a statewide response to the critical issue of crime against seniors.
- Local TRIADs, found throughout Illinois, consist of law enforcement officials such as county sheriffs and municipal chiefs of police, as well as senior community advocates and other community activists. Each TRIAD also consists of an advisory council, which helps to determine the needs and concerns of older citizens and suggest further initiatives. TRIAD activities help implement crime prevention, education and volunteer programs for older citizens. One of TRIAD's most notable outgrowths is the Elderly Service Officers program, which provides specialized training for law enforcement officers who work with seniors.
