This column first appeared in the San Antonio Express-News on January 12, 2018. Scams against the elderly are all too common. You should report this scam to the local police department, and can make a report to the National Consumers League at www.fraud.org (where you can also learn tips for prevention). You should also immediately call her bank to report the fraud. They may be able to stop the check before it is cashed. Calling them will also alert the bank’s fraud office to

This column first appeared in the San Antonio Express-News on April 26, 2016. On the surface of your story – that you mother gifted her home to the church two years before she died – it appears that you have no grounds to protest or to get back the home. But if you dig deeper, there are possibilities. It all depends on the actual background facts. Was your mother unduly influenced to make this gift? Was fraud or duress involved? Was she competent at the time that she signed t