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Financial abuse can affect anyone at any time. There are support options available if you or someone you know is experiencing financial abuse.
If you're in immediate danger, please call 000.
Concerned about financial abuse?
You may be worried about your own situation. Or you may be concerned about a friend, family member or someone you support. Learning about the signs of financial abuse can help you start a conversation, provide support and connect them with appropriate services if they need help.
What is financial abuse?
Financial abuse can take many forms. This may include situations where someone takes away your access to money, manipulates your financial decisions, or uses your money without consent. Financial abuse is a type of family and domestic violence. People who use coercive control may use financial abuse as part of their behaviour.
It can happen at any stage of a relationship and may continue after a relationship ends. It may also happen alongside other types of violence, including physical, sexual and emotional abuse.
It can leave you feeling afraid, vulnerable, isolated, depressed and anxious.
Financial abuse can happen to anyone. The person causing the harm may be a current or former partner, family member, carer, friend or another trusted person.
Financial abuse is never your fault.
What are some of the signs of financial abuse?
Financial abuse is often hard to recognise. It can be different depending on your specific circumstances.
You may recognise the signs of financial abuse in your own life. Others may notice them happening to someone they care about.
Financial abuse might involve:
Controlling access to money
- restricting someone's access to bank accounts, credit cards or cash
- pressuring someone to ask permission to spend their own money
- refusing to contribute to shared costs or child support
- withdrawing or transferring money from a joint bank account without agreement.
Using money or assets without consent
- using or accessing someone's money without their consent
- taking someone's name off accounts without their knowledge or agreement
- using someone's phone, email or online accounts to apply for loans, credit or services in their name without their knowledge or agreement.
Creating debt or financial obligations
- pressuring someone to sign documents, take on debt or change their will
- applying for loans, credit or services in someone else's name
- coercing someone into becoming a company director without real decision-making power or access to financial information
- misusing a power of attorney and acting against someone's interests.
Limiting financial independence
- controlling someone's ability to work and earn an income
- preventing access to education, training, financial help or support.
Using fear, pressure or guilt
- taking advantage of the sharing of resources in families and communities
- making someone feel guilty, foolish or afraid about managing money
- pressuring someone to lend money or to become a guarantor
- threatening financial consequences if they do not do what someone wants.
Get help if you feel unsafe
1800RESPECT is a free and confidential support service for people affected by family and domestic violence, including financial abuse. Support is available 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, or chat online.
Financial abuse of older people
Financial abuse of older people, also known as financial elder abuse, can happen when someone in a position of trust takes advantage of their role or causes financial harm to an older adult.
It can involve taking, controlling or misusing your money, assets, property, benefits or accounts, or pressuring you to give up control over your finances or financial decisions.
It may involve a one-off action, repeated actions, or failure to act when needed. The harm can build slowly, especially in close relationships or care arrangements.
Beyond losing money, the financial abuse of older people can affect housing, health, wellbeing and independence.
It may also happen alongside other types of abuse and mistreatment of older people, including psychological or emotional abuse, physical, sexual, cultural or spiritual abuse, or neglect.
Some signs of elder financial abuse
It might involve someone:
- applying pressure, threats or intimidation to sign over ownership of assets
- pressuring an older person to change their will
- misusing or stealing money, possessions or assets
- pressuring an older person to make, change or sign legal documents, such as a will or power of attorney
- failing to deliver promised care to an older relative.
Planning ahead for important decisions
Take time to think through important financial decisions or when making a change. This is especially important before signing legal documents, changing financial arrangements or giving someone control over your finances.
For information, see protect your money in retirement and wills and powers of attorney.
Options for support
Asking for help isn't always easy. If you're experiencing financial abuse, or are concerned about someone else, help is available.
Contact your bank or financial provider
Don’t be afraid to reach out to your bank or financial provider to seek support. Some have a dedicated specialist team to talk through your needs and safely help you manage your finances.
Your provider won’t ask for your life story.
Banks and insurers are committed to taking extra care with customers experiencing vulnerability including financial abuse, family and/or domestic violence, and elder abuse.
If you're having trouble with loan repayments, contact your lender about financial hardship assistance. See how to ask for help with financial hardship.
If you're in crisis or struggling to make ends meet, go to urgent help with money.
Get free legal advice
Financial abuse can leave people with debts, contracts or other legal arrangements they did not fully understand.
Call the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 for help to obtain free legal advice.
You can also call Mob Strong Debt Help on 1800 808 488 for free nationwide legal advice and financial counselling for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Find support services
If you're experiencing financial abuse or you're a family member, friend, neighbour or support worker who suspects financial abuse of an older person, there are free and confidential services available. There are also services available that can support people who have used abusive behaviours and want to change.
Support services can provide information, counselling, financial support, legal assistance and help to plan the next steps when it is safe to do so.
Crisis and support services
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Crisis support and confidential one-to-one support |
Phone: 13 11 14 Text: 0477 13 11 14 24 hours, 7 days a week |
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Information, support and counselling for people affected by domestic, family and sexual violence |
Phone: 1800 737 732 Text: 0458 737 732 24 hours, 7 days a week |
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-run crisis support - free and confidential |
Phone: 13 92 76 24 hours, 7 days a week |
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Counselling services for people aged 5 to 25 - free and confidential |
Phone: 1800 551 800 24 hours, 7 days a week |
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Support and referrals for LGBTIQ+ people - free and anonymous |
Phone: 1800 154 527 3 pm to 9 pm, 7 days a week |
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Free and confidential counselling for men |
Phone: 1300 789 978 24 hours, 7 days a week Online chat and video counselling |
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Counselling, information and referral services for men who want to change their behaviour |
Phone: 1300 766 491 24 hours, 7 days a week |
Financial, legal and relationship support
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Free and confidential financial counselling and help with debt |
Phone: 1800 007 007 9.30 am to 4.30 pm, Monday to Friday |
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Free and nationwide legal advice and financial counselling service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people |
Phone: 1800 808 488 9.30 am to 4.30 pm, Monday to Friday |
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Family counselling, mediation and dispute resolution services |
Phone: 1300 364 277 |
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Information and support for families affected by relationship or separation issues |
Family Relationship Advice Line Phone: 1800 050 321 8 am to 8 pm, Monday to Friday 10 am to 4 pm, Saturday |
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Legal advice and referrals for women |
Women's Legal Services Australia Find a service in your area |
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-run legal, support, recovery and healing services |
First Nations Advocates Against Family Violence Find a service in your area |
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Information about being coerced into becoming, or not consenting to be, a company director or secretary |
Find information on the ASIC website if you did not consent to be a company officeholder |
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Support to help rebuild financial independence after financial abuse |
Good Shepherd Australia Financial Independence Hub Phone: 1300 050 150 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday |
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Financial safety planning and information in a one-on-one session with a financial counsellor - free and independent |
Money Clinics, offered by the Centre for Women's Economic Safety Book an appointment online Clinics available to women across Australia, by phone or video call |
Elder abuse support
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National elder abuse helpline that connects callers with services in their state or territory |
1800 ELDERHelp Phone: 1800 353 374 This number redirects you to a phone service in your state or territory. Operating hours and services may vary. |
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Information, resources and specialist elder abuse support services across Australia |
Find an elder abuse specialist organisation in your state or territory (under the 'Find Help' tab) |
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Independent and confidential information and advocacy for older people experiencing abuse in the aged care system |
Older Persons Advocacy Network Phone: 1800 700 600 8 am to 8 pm, Monday to Friday This number redirects you to the Older Persons Advocacy Network organisation in your state or territory |
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Free service for anyone concerned about the quality of care or services delivered to people receiving government-funded aged care services |
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner Phone: 1800 951 822 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday |