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  13. Report Guardianship Fraud

Report Guardianship Fraud

Wards depend on their guardians to have the ward’s best interests at heart; however, there may be times when you, as a neighbor, friend, or family member of a ward, suspect that a guardian may be abusing their responsibilities or committing fraud.

Some examples of potential guardianship fraud include:

  • The ward is forced from their home or residence.
  • Money, antiques, or other items are missing.
  • Numerous new accounts are being opened (like bank accounts, loans, insurance policies, lines of credit).
  • The ward’s money is being transferred in an unusual manner.
  • A guardian begins to live extravagantly or has a new higher standard of living.
  • If the ward previously had enough money to cover their expenses, but now does not seem to have enough to pay for prescriptions, food, lodging, or basic needs.
  • A guardian misappropriates the ward’s assets (such as living in the ward’s home, using the ward’s vehicle for personal use, using the ward’s cash assets to pay for the guardian’s debts).
  • A guardian intentionally undervalues guardianship assets and later sells the asset(s) at a higher price and doesn’t deposit funds into guardianship for the benefit of the ward.
  • A guardian has a conflict of interest (by hiring a relative or friend to provide services for the ward at a higher than normal rate, or by accepting incentives, rewards, or payments from a service provider).

How to report guardianship abuse and fraud:

If you feel that someone is in immediate danger, call 9-1-1 to report it to local law enforcement.

To report physical abuse and neglect, contact the Florida Abuse Hotline at (800) 96-ABUSE (800-962-2873), or visit the Florida Department of Children and Families’ website, which has links for child abuse and adult abuse.

To file a complaint against a professional guardian, contact the State of Florida’s Department of Elder Affairs using one of the resources below:

  • File a complaint online with the Florida Department of State
  • Call toll-free: (855) 305-3030
  • Fax: (850) 414-2384
  • Write to: 4040 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee, FL 32399-7000

When reporting a complaint, be sure to provide the following information:

  • Professional guardian’s name
  • Ward’s name
  • Description of the complaint

Additionally, you may wish to provide your contact information (name, mailing address, email, telephone number), the ward’s county of residence, and guardianship case number.

To file a complaint against a family guardian, you can contact the Lake County Clerk’s Inspector General Department at (352) 742-4549, or contact your attorney.

NOTE: Florida law prevents staff of the Lake County Clerk’s Office from providing legal advice. The information, forms, and documents contained on this website are provided to help those seeking to represent themselves without the assistance of an attorney and are meant to serve as a guide only.

We do not guarantee that the information provided will achieve the result you desire. If you are using the forms or documents provided on this website, you do so at your own risk.
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