Can I report someone for misusing an elder's bank account w/o meeting basic needs of the elder?

Elder abuse is very serious. Before calling anyone else is there a way to talk with grandaughter? If friend is accusing her of things that are not true your would be making terrible claims against someone who is innocent.

TowerDSue, by any chance could your elderly friend have a case of dementia? With dementia the elder will make up stories just to get attention, it's pretty much the norm. My elderly Mom went through a phase where she was saying some pretty shocking things that I really doubt had an ounce of reality to them.

Before you contact the authorities, you need to be 100% sure, with proof in hand, that something did happen.

I think I would call Adult Protective a Services and let them sort it out. If she never sees or hears from her granddaughter, what's the difference if she's mad or keeps the great grandchildren away? She probably doesn't see them anyway.

If she's living alone, doesn't sound like she should be. APS may be just the ticket in more ways than one.

Personally, I'm not sure you have enough evidence to report alleged fraud, but I do think this woman shouldn't be living alone.

However, if there is ongoing financial abuse, all your friend has to do is cancel the bank card. She'll still likely be responsible for charges since she voluntarily gave the card to the granddaughter. However, I also question how granddaughter was able to use the charge if her name wasn't on as a signatory.

Two years ago my mother was making a huge mess of her checking account; not recording checks, writing out of sequence even writing from multiple check packs at a time and writing over forty checks a month - then expecting me to balance it. I had a separate checking account for her and I took care of paying all her bills. The account she wrote from was her "fun money". One particularly bad month I worked over two hours trying to figure it out and eventually gave up. To try to help matters I took all her excess check packs to give back to her in numerical order as she needed them. I always, always left her with two full spare check packs labeled 1 & 2. Soon enough she was telling everyone and anyone who would listen I wouldn't let her have any money. (Sigh). So yes, be careful with accusations. On the other hand - besides the seriously disabled, seniors have to be the most venerable group out there. JMO