Ahead of Holiday Season, Menendez and Houchin Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Americans from Scams

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Last week, Representatives Rob Menendez (NJ-08) and Erin Houchin (IN-09) led 11 of their colleagues in introducing the Strategic Task Force on Scam Prevention Act, bipartisan legislation to protect Americans from the growing wave of fraud and financial deception costing families billions each year. In 2024 alone, New Jersey residents reported losing more than $430 million to cybercriminals, ranking sixth in the nation for scam-related losses. Across the country, more than 50 million Americanshave suffered monetary losses due to scams online.

"With scams becoming more sophisticated, we need a coordinated national strategy to protect American consumers," said Congressman Rob Menendez (NJ-08)."Too many families and seniors across New Jersey are targeted by bad actors online and over the phone. This bipartisan legislation will help streamline efforts for the federal government to partner with both corporations and law enforcement to stop scams earlier, protect victims, and strengthen trust in our digital economy."

"Every day, scammers find new ways to target hardworking Americans, especially seniors and families who can least afford it," said Congresswoman Erin Houchin (IN-09). "We have a responsibility to ensure the federal government and law enforcement are working together to stop it. This effort is about holding bad actors accountable and protecting consumers from fraud."

"We applaud the bipartisan work of Representatives Menendez and Houchin to bring together key stakeholders across government agencies, industry and law enforcement to combat spam and protect consumers," said Kelly Cole, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, CTIA - The Wireless Association."This interagency task force will be a vital tool in educating Americans and strengthening our collective ability to detect bad actors and prevent fraudulent activity across the digital ecosystem."

"The Strategic Task Force on Scam Prevention Act will bring together federal agencies, consumer advocates, and industry leaders to develop and implement a comprehensive national strategy to address scams," said Jennifer Jones, Vice President of Financial Security and Livable Communities Government Affairs at American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). "By leveraging existing government resources, better coordinating enforcement actions, improving recovery resources for victims, and providing public education, this legislation will help prevent scams and bring justice to those affected."

"The Strategic Task Force on Scam Prevention Act is an important step toward protecting consumers from the growing epidemic of fraud and deception," said John Breyault, Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud at the National Consumers League. "By bringing together the FTC, DOJ, and key federal agencies to coordinate enforcement and public education, this bill ensures that government is working smarter and faster to stop scammers in their tracks. Consumers deserve a united front in the fight against fraud, and this legislation delivers exactly that."

"In 2025, NASAA urged Congress to establish a task force and prioritize a strategy to combat the online scam epidemic. We applaud Representatives Menendez and Houchin for introducing legislation that advances these priorities," said Marni Rock Gibson, President of the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA). "As we strengthen local-state-federal coordination on scam prevention and enforcement, it is vital to preserve state and local authorities - the first line of defense against scams."

As scams surge during the holiday season, this legislation establishes a federal task force to develop a national strategy to address scams and lower the risk of financial losses as a result of fraudulent activity.

The Strategic Task Force on Scam Prevention Act directs the Department of Justice ("DOJ") and the Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") to convene an interagency task force to develop a comprehensive national scam prevention strategy to improve consumer education, foster collaboration with international partners, and support victims of scams. The task force will collaborate with banks, tech companies, social media platforms, state attorneys general and local law enforcement to detect and disrupt scams more effectively.

The bill was co-sponsored by Reps. Troy Carter (LA-02), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Angie Craig (MN-02), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At-Large), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Jennifer McClellan (VA-02), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Derek Tran (CA-45), and George Whitesides (CA-27).

For full text of the bill, click here.

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