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The shift to online banking, digital payments, and smartphone apps has made dealing with financial matters far more convenient, but it’s also made it possible for domestic abusers to monitor, manipulate, and control their victims’ financial lives in ways that were unimaginable a decade ago.
“Technology has introduced new avenues for financial abuse,” Stephanie Love-Patterson, president of the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), told Investopedia.
Key Takeaways
- Also called economic abuse, financial abuse occurs when someone uses your money and other financial resources to control or otherwise manipulate your actions.
- It’s found in an overwhelming majority of domestic abuse cases, often acting as a prison to keep partners from leaving.
- Financial abusers now use spyware apps, password theft, and digital surveillance to monitor victims’ every financial move.
How Abusers Weaponize the Newest Digital Tools
Traditional forms of economic control—like withholding money or sabotaging your job—are still all too common. But newer digital tactics are particularly worrisome because they’re more difficult to detect, leaving targets unaware that they’re being monitored.
“Financial abuse encompasses a range of controlling behaviors, including restricting access to bank accounts, sabotaging employment opportunities, accumulating debt in the victim’s name, and withholding basic necessities like food and medicine,” Love-Patterson said.
Often, the goal of the abuser isn’t just financial control but to ensure their targets aren’t able to escape the relationship.
Love-Patterson said there are three main ways recent technologies can amplify financial abuse:
- Digital surveillance and spyware: Abusers often install monitoring software on phones, computers, or tablets to track online activity. These spyware apps capture banking logins, monitor spending patterns, and even record keystrokes that can reveal when victims try to seek help or apply for jobs. Some apps market themselves as “family safety” tools but function as a surveillance system for abusers.
- Hijacking online financial accounts: “Abusers can restrict access to online banking, change passwords, or monitor financial activities without the victim’s knowledge,” Love-Patterson said. This might involve changing security questions, adding new email addresses for account recovery, or setting up alerts that notify the abuser of any financial activity.
- Employment sabotage through digital channels: Love-Patterson noted that “through digital means, abusers might interfere with job applications or professional communications, hindering the target’s financial independence.” This can include deleting job-related emails, changing professional passwords, or even impersonating their partners in workplace communications.
Protecting Yourself From Digital Financial Abuse
If you suspect technological financial abuse, Love-Patterson emphasized that “safety is paramount” when taking protective action. The NNEDV recommends these essential steps:
- Secure your digital footprint: Change passwords for all financial accounts and password managers using a device the abuser can’t access, such as a computer at a library or a trusted friend’s phone. Ensure that password recovery options like security questions and backup email addresses are updated and secure.
- Use safe devices only: Love-Patterson advised only “access[ing] financial information from devices that the abuser can’t monitor.” This means avoiding shared computers and phones that might have unknown apps as much as possible.
- Work with advocates who understand technology: Love-Patterson suggested that you find guidance from domestic violence advocates who can help create a safety plan. This can include those who know how to deal with any technical and legal issues you may face, including the Women’s Law Email Hotline, she said. Many advocates now receive specialized training in technology-enabled abuse.
Tip
Before taking any action, consider whether your internet browsing history, text messages, or phone calls might be monitored. Use a safe computer and consider clearing browsing history or using incognito mode when researching resources or seeking help.
The Bottom Line
“Financial abuse can be as damaging as physical abuse, often trapping victims in abusive relationships due to economic dependence,” Love-Patterson said. Now, the latest technologies have given financial abusers powerful new tools for surveillance and control, making it harder to recognize than traditional financial abuse.
Helping to protect yourself means using safe devices, securing your digital accounts, and working with advocates who not only often understand how digital technology can be used to enable abuse but can help remind you that you’re not alone. “If anyone feels unsafe or controlled, it’s valid to seek help,” Love-Patterson said.
