First, know that financial exploitation is legally considered elder abuse, which is a crime. Anyone who suspects that financial exploitation is going on should immediately report the situation to New Mexico Adult Protective Services or local law enforcement. A report can be made whether it is from the person being exploited, a family member of that person, or even just an outside party who has been made aware of the situation. Second, know that there is no 100% foolproof way to prevent all possible abuse from occurring. Even someone who was deeply trusted may have a change of character years later. Instead of trying to prevent all financial abuse scenarios, individuals should focus on reducing the risk of exploitation through general means. These include periodically reviewing the available mechanisms they have in place to protect them should they gradually lose capacity as they age or as illness affects them.