ABOUT THIS CAMPAIGN. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY? YEAH, I DID TALK TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, DAVE SUNDAY, AND WHEN WE SPOKE, HE SAID THAT HE FEELS VERY STRONGLY ABOUT A SOCIETY THAT PROTECTS BOTH ITS MOST VULNERABLE CITIZENS AND THOSE THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT ON THE OLDER SIDE. NOW, THAT MEANS WITH THE ELDER ABUSE CASES, IT COULD BE A MALICIOUS LINK, IT COULD BE A WEBSITE, IT COULD BE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, OR IT COULD EVEN BE A FAMILY MEMBER. WE, GOD WILLING, IN THIS ROOM, WILL BE BLESSED SOMEDAY TO BE THERE. AND I’M GOING TO WANT TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE FIGHTING FOR US, JUST LIKE WE’RE FIGHTING FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WORKED UNBELIEVABLY HARD TO HELP US GET TO WHERE WE ARE. WITH THE SUPPORT OF STATE LAWMAKERS, THE DEPARTMENT OF AGING AND ADVOCATES AGAINST ELDER ABUSE, ATTORNEY GENERAL DAVE SUNDAY ANNOUNCED THE ELDER EXPLOITATION SECTION. IT’S JUST THE ABSOLUTE CRITICAL NEXT STEP IN MAKING SURE THAT WE’RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT SENIORS, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS THAT 1 IN 10 SENIORS EXPERIENCED A FORM OF ABUSE IN THE LAST YEAR, AND THAT ONLY 1 IN 44 INCIDENTS ARE REPORTED. THEY COULD LOSE MONEY IN MINUTES, TO BE HONEST. I MEAN, WITH TECHNOLOGY AND WITH THE ADVANCEMENTS OF AI AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, A LOT OF THE SCAMS THAT COME OVER COMPUTER, I MEAN, AS SOON AS SOMEONE CLICKS ON A BAD EMAIL, PEOPLE AGE 60 OR OLDER MAKE UP 27% OF THE STATE’S 13 MILLION PEOPLE. AND PART OF THIS INITIATIVE IS TO TEACH THEM ABOUT THE DANGERS AND COULD TAKE PRESSURE OFF OF POLICE DEPARTMENTS WITH THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, LOCAL LEVEL POLICE ENFORCEMENT IS WONDERFUL. THEY DO A GREAT JOB OF PROTECTING US. THEY DON’T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO LOOK INTO EVERY ONE OF THESE CASES. SO WHAT HAPPENS IS THEY GET JUST TOSSED TO THE SIDE SOMETIMES. NOW THEY HAVE A PLACE TO BE ABLE TO REFER THOSE. THE ELDER EXPLOITATION SECTION IS ALREADY LAUNCHED AND IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON 30 CASES. WE GET CALLS INTO OUR OFFICE ALMOST ON A DAILY BASIS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN DEFRAUDED, HAVE BEEN SCAMMED, HAVE BEEN PART OF A FAMILY MEMBER, POSSIBLY SOMETIMES EVEN DEFRAUDING THEM OR GOING INTO THEIR BANK AND WIPING THEM OUT. I CAN TELL YOU, AS A FORMER DISTRICT ATTORNEY, HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE A PLACE YOU CAN GO THAT HAS THE RESOURCES TO HANDLE COMPLEX CASES LIKE THIS. EIGHT ON YOUR SIDE. INVESTIGATIONS HAVE REPORTED ON THESE ELDER ABUSE SCAMS. AS BRIAN WAS JUST TELLING YOU, HE’S REPORTED ON A FEW OF THEM. YOU CAN HEAD TO THE EIGHT ON YOUR SIDE PORTION OF OUR WEBSITE AT WGAL.COM TO SEE THOSE FREE REPORTS. LIKE WHAT AG DAVE SUNDAY WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT THERE. YOU CAN SEE THOSE FREE REPORTS AND WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND ALS
State creates team to better elder fraud investigations and expand outreach
Updated: 6:12 PM EST Nov 18, 2025
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday, joined by state lawmakers, the Department of Aging and other advocacy groups against elder abuse, announced the creation of the Elder Exploitation Section within the attorney general’s office. It aims to address abuse and fraud targeting older Pennsylvanians, while taking advantage of investigative resources and outreach to protect seniors statewide. “We, God willing, in this room, will be blessed someday to be there,” said Sunday. “I’m going to want to know that there are people out there fighting for us, just like we’re fighting for the people that worked unbelievably hard to help us get to where we are.”Organizations such as AARP Pennsylvania, SeniorLAW Center, the Alzheimer’s Association, NOVA, LeadingAge PA, Pa. Health Care Association, Pa. Home Care Association, Pa. Bankers Association, The American Legion and VFW Department of Pennsylvania joined legislators and the AG on stage Tuesday.The AG’s office cited estimates that one in 10 seniors experienced a form of abuse in the past year and that only one in 44 incidents are reported. Support from state lawmakers and advocates aims to improve reporting and prosecution of elder exploitation.”It’s just the absolute critical next step in making sure that we’re doing everything we can to protect seniors,” said Sunday.Officials noted that people 60 or older make up about 27% of Pennsylvania’s roughly 13 million residents, and that outreach and education are central to the plan. The office said increased resources could also reduce pressure on local police departments.”(Elders) could lose money in minutes, to be honest. I mean, with technology and with the advancements of AI and things of that nature, a lot of the scams that come over a computer, I mean, as soon as someone clicks on a bad email,” said Sunday. “Local-level police enforcement is wonderful. They do a great job of protecting us. They don’t have the resources to be able to look into every one of these cases,” said Bill Johnston-Walsh, AARP Pennsylvania State Director. “So, what happens is they get just tossed to the side sometimes. Now they have a place to be able to refer those.”The Elder Exploitation Section is already working on 30 cases, officials said. The office said the team will combine investigations, victim services and outreach across the state.”We get calls into our office almost on a daily basis of people that have been defrauded, have been scammed, have been part of a family member, possibly sometimes even defrauding them or going into their bank and wiping them out,” said Johnston-Walsh.”I can tell you, as a former district attorney, how important it is to have a place you can go that has the resources to handle complex cases like this,” said Sunday.
HARRISBURG, Pa. —
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday, joined by state lawmakers, the Department of Aging and other advocacy groups against elder abuse, announced the creation of the Elder Exploitation Section within the attorney general’s office. It aims to address abuse and fraud targeting older Pennsylvanians, while taking advantage of investigative resources and outreach to protect seniors statewide.
“We, God willing, in this room, will be blessed someday to be there,” said Sunday. “I’m going to want to know that there are people out there fighting for us, just like we’re fighting for the people that worked unbelievably hard to help us get to where we are.”
Organizations such as AARP Pennsylvania, SeniorLAW Center, the Alzheimer’s Association, NOVA, LeadingAge PA, Pa. Health Care Association, Pa. Home Care Association, Pa. Bankers Association, The American Legion and VFW Department of Pennsylvania joined legislators and the AG on stage Tuesday.
The AG’s office cited estimates that one in 10 seniors experienced a form of abuse in the past year and that only one in 44 incidents are reported. Support from state lawmakers and advocates aims to improve reporting and prosecution of elder exploitation.
“It’s just the absolute critical next step in making sure that we’re doing everything we can to protect seniors,” said Sunday.
Officials noted that people 60 or older make up about 27% of Pennsylvania’s roughly 13 million residents, and that outreach and education are central to the plan. The office said increased resources could also reduce pressure on local police departments.
“(Elders) could lose money in minutes, to be honest. I mean, with technology and with the advancements of AI and things of that nature, a lot of the scams that come over a computer, I mean, as soon as someone clicks on a bad email,” said Sunday.
“Local-level police enforcement is wonderful. They do a great job of protecting us. They don’t have the resources to be able to look into every one of these cases,” said Bill Johnston-Walsh, AARP Pennsylvania State Director. “So, what happens is they get just tossed to the side sometimes. Now they have a place to be able to refer those.”
The Elder Exploitation Section is already working on 30 cases, officials said. The office said the team will combine investigations, victim services and outreach across the state.
“We get calls into our office almost on a daily basis of people that have been defrauded, have been scammed, have been part of a family member, possibly sometimes even defrauding them or going into their bank and wiping them out,” said Johnston-Walsh.
“I can tell you, as a former district attorney, how important it is to have a place you can go that has the resources to handle complex cases like this,” said Sunday.