top of page

Crime, Legal & Safety

​​ABUSE & NEGLECT

​

  • Contact your local police department FIRST if you or someone you know is in danger.​​

  • Report all suspected cases of adult abuse and neglect to Adult Protective Services at the Talbot County Department of Social Services.

  • Also, report mistreatment or neglect of vulnerable adults to the Medicaid Fraud & Vulnerable Victims Unit in the Maryland Office of the Attorney General.

  • For Residents of Assisted Living Facilities / Nursing Homes / Long-Term Care Facilities

  • Mistreatment / Abuse by a Legal Guardian  

    • Click here to report mistreatment and abuse by guardians and other fiduciaries to the Department of Justice.

AUTO SALE OR REPAIR

​

DISABILITY FRAUD

​​​

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE & STALKING 

​​

  • The Mid-Shore Council on Family Violence is the central point of access for domestic violence assistance within Talbot County. The 24/7 Hotline is (800) 927-4673 or send a secure email here. They even offer pet safety, so you do not have to leave your pet behind!​

  • The National Domestic Violence Hotline provides 24/7 crisis intervention services through three contact methods: call (800) 799-7233, text “START” to 88788, or chat. They also offer AI chat.

  • The Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence​ is a coalition of advocacy programs for victims of domestic violence and stalking in Maryland. ​Click here for resources to seek help and stay safe. 

  • The Maryland Safe at Home Address Confidentiality Program helps individuals who have relocated or are about to relocate to keep their perpetrators from finding them. Click here for more information, call​ (410) 260-3875, o​r email​ safe.athome@maryland.gov.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

​​

  • Talbot County Health Department (TCHD) 

    • The TCHD manages the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program that develops, implements, and monitors preparedness plans for public health responses to emergencies, including mass dispensing of medications and vaccinations, emergency communications surveys, professional workforce training, and facilitation and participation in exercises and drills. 

      • Click here for more details, additional resources, and contact information.

  • Talbot County Department of Emergency Services (TCES) 

    • TCES has both an Emergency Information Form and a Medical Information Form that you can complete to better assist emergency services during your time of need.

    • Register for the Talbot County Citizen Alert System that provides time-sensitive alerts about emergencies such as severe weather, unexpected road closures, missing persons, and evacuations of buildings or neighborhoods.

ESTATE PLANNING & ADVANCE DIRECTIVES DOCUMENTS

​​

  • Estate and Finances: Visit our Legal page for special senior resources to assist with the following documents (except for a Social Security Advance Designation, which does not need the assistance of an attorney):

    • ​LAST WILL & TESTAMENT: Directs who gets your property, money, and assets after you die and names guardians for minor children, adult dependents, and pets. A will also specifies gifts and end-of-life plans like funeral or memorial services, burial, or cremation. Without a will, your estate will be divided according to your state's laws.

    • TRUST (LIVING OR REVOCABLE/IRREVOCABLE): Holds and manages assets during your life and distributes them outside of public probate court after your death.

    • DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR FINANCES: Appoints a trusted person to handle your financial and legal business if you become unable to do so yourself.

    • SOCIAL SECURITY ADVANCE DESIGNATION: If you ever need assistance, Social Security Advance Designation allows you to select up to three individuals as your “representative payee.” A representative payee is someone the Social Security Administration (SSA) designates to manage your benefits if you're unable to do so. You can change your designees at any time. If you choose advance designees, the SSA will notify you annually to review the individuals you've selected. Organizations cannot be designated as advance designees. Click here to learn how to submit and update your advance designation request when you apply for benefits or after you are already receiving benefits.

  • Plan for Your Future Healthcare - Advance Directives: Legal documents that provide instructions for medical care and only go into effect if you cannot communicate your own wishes due to disease or severe injury. Talking with a doctor about advance care planning is covered by Medicare as part of your annual wellness visit. These forms should be reviewed and updated about every 10 years, if you have a change in marital status, or receive a new medical diagnosis. In addition to keeping your copies in a safe place, give a copy of each to your primary healthcare provider, your healthcare agent (see "Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care" below), and family members.

    • LIVING WILL/MEDICAL DIRECTIVE: Provides specific written health care instructions for end-of-life treatments, like whether to use life support or pain relief medications, and examples of life-prolonging treatments that still allow you to live a quality of life you can accept. Click here to create your Living Will, then scroll down and click on "Create Your Advance Directive" to begin the process. If you have not already created a free account on MyDirectives.com, you will be required to create a free "New User" account during this process.

    • DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR HEALTH CARE: Name someone you trust to speak for you if you cannot speak for yourself (aka "healthcare agent" or "proxy") about the medical care you do or do not want. You do not need a lawyer to create this assignment. Click here to create your Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, then scroll down and click on "Name Your Agent" to begin the process. You will be required to create a free "New User" account during this process.

    • DIGITAL EMERGENCY & ADVANCE CARE PLAN: Legal files stored online or on a mobile device for fast access by doctors and family to help make medical decisions on your behalf. Click here to create your Digital Emergency & Advance Care Plan, then scroll down and click on "Create Your Advance Directive" to begin the process. If you have not already created a free account on MyDirectives.com, you will be required to create a free "New User" account during this process. If you already have an Emergency & Advance Care Plan, you can upload it as a digital record to MyDirectives.com, then scroll down and click on "Upload an existing Advance Directive or Advance Care Plan."

    • MENTAL HEALTH ADVANCE DIRECTIVE: Download and complete the Mental Health Advance Directive. Keep it with your other advance directives and upload it to MyDirectives.com. You can then upload it as a digital record to MyDirectives.com, then scroll down and click on "Upload an existing Advance Directive or Advance Care Plan."

    • ADVANCE HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVE WALLET CARD: Download and print this card to record that you have an advance directive or health care power of attorney and to list who should be contacted if you cannot speak for yourself. This card is meant to help emergency services, healthcare providers, or family quickly find your directive. â€‹

  • Advance Care Planning Orders: Consider preparing documents to outline your preferences for specific medical issues or other matters not included in your advance directives, like emergencies. In such cases, discuss with your doctor the possibility of creating the following orders:

    • ​DO NOT RESUSCITATE (DNR) ORDER: Added to your medical chart to notify healthcare providers in hospitals or nursing homes that you do not want CPR or other life-support treatments if your heart stops and you stop breathing. This document may also be called a do not attempt resuscitation (DNR) or allow natural death (AND) order. Even if your living will states that you do not want CPR, having a DNR in your medical record is beneficial when hospitalized. Placing a DNR sign near your hospital bed can prevent confusion during emergencies. Without a DNR, medical personnel are expected to try all measures to restart your heartbeat and breathing.

    • DO NOT INTUBATE (DNI) ORDER: Informs medical staff in a hospital or nursing facility that you do not want to be on a ventilator.

    • DO NOT HOSPITALIZE (DNH) ORDER: Indicates to long-term care providers, such as nursing home staff, that you prefer not to be sent to a hospital for treatment at the end of life.

    • OUT-OF-HOSPITAL DNR ORDER: Alerts emergency medical personnel to your wishes regarding measures to restore your heartbeat or breathing if you are not in a hospital.

    • MEDICAL ORDERS FOR LIFE-SUSTAINING TREATMENT (MOLST): Provide guidance about your medical care that health care professionals can act on immediately in an emergency. They serve as a medical order in addition to your advance directive. Typically, you create a MOLST when you are near the end of life or critically ill and understand the specific decisions that might need to be made on your behalf.

FINANCIAL FRAUD OR EXPLOITATION

​​

  • If you or someone you know has been a victim of elder financial fraud, help is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline at (833) 372–8311, a special program of the U.S. Department of Justice's Office for Victims of Crime.

  • If the potential victim resides in a nursing home, report the financial fraud or exploitation to Adult Protective Services (APS) at the Talbot County Department of Social Services. Financial exploitation is the only kind of maltreatment that APS investigates in nursing homes.

FINANCIAL PRODUCTS & SERVICES COMPLAINTS

​

  • The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) currently accepts complaints about: checking and savings accounts; credit cards; credit reports and other personal consumer reports; debt collection; debt and credit management; money transfers, virtual currency, and money services; mortgages; payday loans; personal loans like installment, advance, and title loans; prepaid cards; and vehicle loans or leases,

    • If you have a complaint with one of these financial products or services, you can report it to the CFPB.

    • After your complaint is filed, CFPB will work to get a response from the company you reported.

  • "Be your own boss," pyramid schemes, scam job listings, scam franchises, money-making opportunities, investments, or investment seminars should be reported to the Federal Trade Commission online. Or, call (877) 382-4357. 

  • If the matter concerns insurance products, i.e. auto and life insurance, an insurance company, or an insurance representative, click here to learn how to proceed.

FOOD SAFETY

​

  • The Talbot County Department of Health manages the food protection program, which is responsible for enforcing safety regulations related to food sold in Talbot County, which includes all facilities that prepare or provide food to the public, including both permanent and mobile establishments, as well as temporary events.

    • To file a complaint about a licensed food facility in Talbot County, email the Environmental Health Office at tchd.environmental_health@maryland.gov. Provide the facility's name and location, as much detail as possible, and your name and phone number.

  • Click here for additional food safety resources.

GUARDIANSHIP

​

  • Guardianship is the appointment by a court of a person or entity to make personal and/or property decisions for an individual whom the court finds cannot make decisions for themselves.

  • Click here for the Department of Justice's overview of guardianship, less restrictive options and alternatives, key concepts and resources, how to report mistreatment and abuse by guardians and other fiduciaries, and additional resources.

  • The Maryland Public Guardianship Program serves individuals 65 years of age and older who are deemed by a circuit court to lack the capacity to communicate responsible decisions concerning their daily living needs. As a last resort, when no other person or organization is willing or appropriate to act on the client’s behalf, the Executive Director of Upper Shore Aging, Inc. can be appointed as the “guardian of person.” Contact the Guardianship Program Manager at Upper Shore Aging, Inc. at (410) 778-7180 for more information.

HEALTH INSURANCE BILLING DISPUTES

​

  • Private Health Insurance: The Health Education and Advocacy Unit (HEAU) of the Maryland State government helps Maryland consumers resolve billing disputes with healthcare providers and with private insurance coverage disputes through free mediation services. Start the process online here.

    • Click here for more information if you have a complaint or want to report fraud related to a private health insurance company.​

  • Medicaid: Contact the Nurse Ombudsman for assistance at the Talbot County Health Department.

  • Medicare: Contact the Maryland State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) Coordinator at Brookletts Place for assistance.

HEALTH PRODUCTS OR SERVICES

​

HOME IMPROVEMENT

​

HOSPITAL CARE FAILURES

​

  • If you or a loved one experienced a hospital's failure to evaluate and stabilize an emergency patient, contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General at (800) 447-8477, or submit your complaint online here.​

IDENTITY THEFT & FRAUD

​

  • Identity theft is the illegal acquisition of your personal information (e.g., Social Security number, date of birth), while identity fraud is the subsequent use of that stolen data to deceive others for personal gain. In short, theft is obtaining the data; fraud is using it.

  • If you're a victim of either, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This site is a one-stop resource for victims of both. Once you submit a report, the FTC creates a personal recovery plan and helps implement it. 

  • For medical identity theft involving Medicare and/or Medicaid beneficiaries, also contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, at (800) 447-8477.

INSURANCE COMPANY COMPLAINT OR FRAUD

​

INTERNET / CYBER CRIME 

​

  • Victims of an Internet crime, which can be everything from cyber-enabled frauds and scams to cybercrime, should file a complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

    • All digital or electronic fraud and scams, including those that originated via email, online, or social media (e.g., romance scams, email extortion, tech support scams), should also file a complaint with the FBI's IC3.

    • Trained analysts at IC3 will review and research the complaint and disseminate information to federal, state, local, or international law enforcement or regulatory agencies for criminal, civil, or administrative action, as appropriate. ​

  • A problem with an online purchase or sale, or someone pretending to be a well-known online seller, should be reported to the Federal Trade Commission online. Or, call (877) 382-4357.

INVESTMENT FRAUD, SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY, OR CRIME

​​

  • Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) 

  • Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) & Maryland Office of the Attorney General (OAG) 

  • Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) 

    • The CFTCD Division of Enforcement investigates and prosecutes alleged violations of the Commodity Exchange Act and Commission regulations. The CFTC Reparations program provides an inexpensive, impartial, and efficient forum for customer complaints against futures industry professionals for alleged violations of the Commodity Exchange Act.

    • File a complaint with the CFTC Reparations program or call (202) 418-5250.

    • Report fraud/suspicious activity involving cryptocurrency or other digital assets directly to the CFTC by calling (866) 366-2382.

LEGAL SERVICES FOR SENIORS

​

  • Brookletts Place partners with Shore Legal Access to provide legal services to members in need, including legal advice, counseling, and representation. ​​

  • Click here to learn more. 

MAIL FRAUD, SCAMS & CRIME

​​

  • If you have witnessed or fallen victim to a mail-related crime, call the United States Postal Inspection Service at (888) 876-5322, or report the crime online for U.S. mail (e.g. sweepstakes scams, lottery scams, online auctions, chain letters, investments, romance scams), mail theft (or call (877) 876-2455), or counterfeit stamp or postage fraud.

  • To report any suspicious texts or emails related to the U.S. Postal Service, forward the text or email to spam@uspis.gov, and then delete the text or email.

MEDICAL INFORMATION VIOLATIONS

​​

MEDICAID FRAUD

​

  • Report suspected Medicaid fraud by health care providers to the Medicaid Fraud & Vulnerable Victims Unit in the Maryland Office of the Attorney General.​

  • Contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General at (800) 447-8477, or submit your complaint online here for the following:

    • False or fraudulent claims submitted to Medicaid

    • Kickbacks or inducements for referrals by Medicaid providers

    • Medical identity theft involving Medicaid beneficiaries

MEDICARE FRAUD

​

MEDICARE RIGHTS & BILLING CONCERNS / DENIALS / GRIEVANCES​

​

PHONE, INTERNET, TV SERVICE, OR COMPUTER TECH SUPPORT SERVICE ISSUES

​

ONLINE PRIVACY & SECURITY

​

SCAMS

​

SNAP / FOOD STAMP FRAUD, WASTE & ABUSE

​

  • Report fraud, waste, and abuse confidentially or anonymously related to the SNAP program (food stamps) or other U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs to the USDA Office of the Inspector General.

SEXUAL VIOLENCE

​

  • Did You Know?

    • Sexual violence is a continuum that includes rape, sexual assault, sextortion, stalking, and sexual harassment.

  • Get Help Now!

    • The University of Maryland Shore Regional Health provides emergency care for survivors of sexual assault. Here are the phone numbers for their area emergency rooms:

    • For All Seasons, located in Easton, is part of a statewide network of 17 rape crisis centers across Maryland. If you need assistance, call their 24-Hour Hotline at (410) 820-5600.

    • The National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline (RAINN) is open 24/7 and gives access to a range of free services. Call RAINN at (800) 656-4673 to be connected with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.

  • Other Valuable Resources

    • The Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault helps prevent sexual assault, advocates for accessible, compassionate care for survivors of sexual violence, and works to hold offenders accountable. 

    • Maryland Safe at Home Address Confidentiality Program helps those individuals who have relocated or are about to relocate, in an effort to keep their perpetrators from finding them. For more information abou​t the program, click here, call​ (410) 260-3875 o​r email​ safe.athome@maryland.gov.

SOCIAL SECURITY FRAUD, WASTE & ABUSE

​

  • The Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is responsible for preventing and detecting fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement across all SSA programs and operations.

  • Click here to report Social Security fraud, scams, waste, and abuse to the SSA OIG, or call (800) 269-0271.​

TAXES FRAUD & ABUSE

​

  • The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) provide independent oversight of IRS activities. It is also committed to preventing and detecting fraud and abuse within the IRS and related entities.

  • Click here to report IRS imposter scams as well as fraud, waste, mismanagement, and abuse in IRS programs and operations to TIGTA. Or, call (800) 366-4484.

  • If the fraud is related to a Maryland tax return, then call the Maryland Comptroller at (800) 638-2937.

UNWANTED: PHONE CALLS, EMAILS, TEXTS, AND MAIL 

​

VICTIMS OF CRIME SUPPORT SERVICES

​

bottom of page