The issues for broker-dealers are complicated because a good deal of research (or sleuthing) needs to be undertaken to grasp the breadth of potential liability a broker-dealer may face for not reacting to an indication of senior exploitation among the broker-dealer’s client base. This is an area where red flags mean everything and consistency in the law is a goal still to be achieved. In short, each state endeavors to protect its elderly and vulnerable populations from financial exploitation in its own unique way. A broker-dealer cannot wait until a particular case of potential financial exploitation presents itself; the complexity of determining the broker-dealer’s obligations under state law, if not researched in advance, could cause a broker-dealer to unwittingly expose itself to civil and/or criminal liability.
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