The Arkansas Securities Department Marks Arkansas Elder Abuse Awareness Day and World Elder Abuse Awareness Day by Strengthening Local Defenses Against Financial Exploitation

The Arkansas Securities Department Marks Arkansas Elder Abuse Awareness Day and World Elder Abuse Awareness Day by Strengthening Local Defenses Against Financial Exploitation

(June 15, 2026) - The Arkansas Securities Department (ASD) joins organizations worldwide to observe World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEADD). To support WEADD, Governor Sanders issued a Proclamation on June 3 declaring this day would also be known as Arkansas Elder Abuse Awareness Day to bring added awareness to the issues at hand. As financial exploitation reaches record highs, state and provincial securities regulators are reaffirming their commitment to protecting senior investors from increasingly sophisticated threats.

Financial exploitation remains a growing threat to older Americans. According to NASAA's 2025 Enforcement Report, securities regulators handled more than 3,600 complaints involving older investors and opened more than 1,650 investigations tied to senior financial exploitation and investment misconduct. Increasingly, these threats include digital asset schemes, social media fraud, AI-enabled impersonation scams, and ongoing efforts designed to exploit seniors' trust and retirement savings.

Securities regulators serve as the primary "cops on the beat" for senior protection. Because they operate within the communities they serve, they are often the first to identify local fraud trends and the only agency positioned to intervene quickly when a suspicious withdrawal is flagged.

"Protecting our seniors requires more than just national oversight. It requires local vigilance," said Arkansas Securities Commissioner Susannah T. Marshall. The ASD is on the ground every day, working with families and financial professionals to stop the theft of a lifetime of hard work before the money leaves the account."

The ASD is urging investors and their families to take three immediate steps:

• Name a Trusted Contact: A trusted contact is a "safety net" for your brokerage account. It allows your financial firm to contact someone you trust if they suspect fraud or cannot reach you.
• Leverage the Senior Safe Act: This law provides a framework for financial professionals to report suspected exploitation to state regulators without fear of violating privacy rules.
• Report Locally: If you suspect a senior is being targeted, contact your state or provincial securities regulator immediately. Early reporting is the most effective way to recover lost funds.

For over a century, state regulators have pioneered senior protection through Model Acts that allow for the temporary freezing of suspicious transactions. These "Blue Sky" protections ensure that when a senior is targeted, they have an advocate nearby who can take decisive action. The ASD has developed resources on how to protect oneself from investment scams. You can find "Investor Alerts & Advisories" on the ASD's website under the main "Education" tab in the top header.

The Staff of the ASD asks anyone with suspicions of possible senior financial exploitation to contact the agency at (800) 981-4429.