CHARLOTTE OBSERVER QUOTES DR. LINDA EAGLE OF THE EDCOMM GROUP AS EXPERT SOURCE ON ELDER FINANCIAL ABUSE

(Charlotte, NC) – February 22, 2006

With a startling 2 million elders victimized by financial exploitation each year, Dr. Linda Eagle, an expert on elder financial abuse and President of the New York-based Edcomm Group, wants to be sure banks know the critical role they play in helping to protect their elderly customers from financial abuse.

Dr. Eagle was recently featured on the website for The Charlotte Observer in response to the growing problem. According to Dr. Eagle, “Just as doctors are often the first to spot the signs of physical abuse, front line bank personnel have the best perspective from which to spot elder financial abuse.”

Elder financial abuse is defined as the illegal taking, misuse or concealment of funds, property, or assets of vulnerable elders, either without their consent or with consent obtained by trickery, intimidation, or force. Elder financial abuse can involve anything from a telemarketer's solicitation on behalf of a fake charity to a family member's misuse of power of attorney. California leads the way with recent legislation, mandating that financial institutions report suspected cases of elder abuse.

Dr. Eagle says, “It's in the best interest of banks across the country to take an active role in training their employees now because other states will likely pass their own legislation in the near future. Banks that take a proactive role now to train their employees to spot elder financial abuse send a positive message to seniors in the community that 'our bank is safe and is looking out for your best interests’.”

Dr. Eagle is frequently invited to speak on a range of topics including distance learning, adult education, compliance training, teller training, ethics training, technological advances in training and education, and business solutions. Linda’s educational background in psychology and communications and her experience in organizational consulting give her unique insight into the practical application of training and communication programs that provide measurable benefits. She has provided consulting and training services to hundreds of organizations in a variety of industries. Published in many national publications including USA Today, as well as American Banker, Linda has also appeared on several local and national radio and television news programs.

The Edcomm Group is a 19-year-old multimedia education and communication consulting firm specializing in the development of creative business solutions that improve productivity, customer service and market share - providing bottom-line results. The Edcomm Group (www.edcomm.com)(www.bankersacademy.com) is headquartered in New York City with an Advanced Design Center located in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania.

For more information, please contact:

Linda Eagle
President, The Edcomm Group
1-888-4EDCOMM
linda.eagle@edcomm.com