Sens. Rick Scott, Maggie Hassan Introduce Legislation to Streamline Scam Reporting, Help Victims of Fraud

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senate Aging Committee Chairman Rick Scott yesterday introduced bipartisan legislation with U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan creating ReportScams.gov - the first centralized online hub for Americans to report scams and get assistance after being targeted by fraudsters.

Reporting scams and fraud has become increasingly complicated, as there is currently no comprehensive strategy by the federal government to prevent and curb the massive rates of cybercrime and fraud. Instead, fraud reports are spread across 13 different agencies, leaving victims without a clear path to assistance and unsure of next steps.

The ReportScams.gov Act would create a central website where Americans have the ability to both report scams and receive assistance and resources from the appropriate agencies.

Chairman Scott said, "Scammers and fraudsters have gotten completely out of control and prey on the most vulnerable Americans, especially seniors. At best, they bombard victims with relentless phone calls and messages. At worst, they pinpoint targets to steal hard-earned savings and destroy lives. Fraud prevention isn't just a financial issue; it's a matter of national security and dignity for older Americans. ReportScams.gov will create a centralized platform to report these fraudulent activities, and I'm proud to join Senator Hassan to tackle this growing problem."

Senator Hassan said, "Today, with no central hub to combat scams, Americans are forced to navigate a maze of agencies and websites when they want to report a scam and get help. That leads to people not reporting these scams at all, helping criminals evade accountability for the financial devastation that a scam can cause. This bipartisan bill will establish a comprehensive, unified plan to thwart scammers and provide consumers with one clear user-friendly portal where they can report scams and alert law enforcement."

ReportScams.gov will provide:

• A portal where the American public can directly and securely report scams
• • Reports will be routed directly to appropriate Federal and State law enforcement, along with information of the person who made the report, so that law enforcement can quickly reach out
• Scam prevention and education resources
• Descriptions of and information on scams
• Resources to help recognize and guard against scammers who impersonate government agencies and private sector entities like banks and other businesses
• Resources and information to assist Americans who have been scammed

The following organizations have issued statements of support for the ReportScams.gov Act, including Erin West, Founder of Operation Shamrock, the Bipartisan Policy Center Action (BPC Action), and the North American Chapter of the Global Anti-Scam Alliance.

Erin West, Founder, Operation Shamrock, said, "After twenty-six years as a prosecutor, I can tell you that scams are not isolated crimes. They are a coordinated, transnational industry, and the federal response has to be just as coordinated. The ReportScams.gov Act builds the infrastructure we have been missing - a single reporting portal for victims, a steering committee across every agency that touches this fight, and accountability through quarterly reporting and a four-year reduction target. This is the federal architecture this fight has needed and I'm grateful to Senators Maggie Hassan and Rick Scott for their leadership."

Michele Stockwell, President, Bipartisan Policy Center Action, said, "BPC Action applauds Sens. Hassan (D-NH) and Scott (R-FL) for leading the bipartisan ReportScams.gov Act. This bill will coordinate and centralize federal efforts to counter increasingly pervasive and sophisticated scams by creating a comprehensive action plan to combat scams and a central repository for scam reporting, response, and prevention resources. Preventing scams is essential to protecting the financial security of American families, and BPC Action is proud to support this effort."

Nils Mueller, Director, North America Chapter, Global Anti-Scam Alliance, said, "The Global Anti-Scam Alliance North America Chapter commends Senators Hassan and Scott for introducing the ReportScams.gov Act. This bill addresses a persistent gap in the U.S. scam reporting landscape by mandating a secure, centralized, and publicly accessible website at the ReportScams.gov domain, supported by an interagency Scams Steering Committee and a Federal Scams Action Plan. The absence of a single, easily identifiable reporting portal is frequently cited by scam victims as a barrier to coming forward. The bill's reporting portal provisions, which require that submissions be routed expeditiously to relevant federal and state agencies, are also a promising foundation. The bill would also establish an ambitious four-year target for the federal government to reduce the number and financial cost of scams targeting Americans, setting an important benchmark that could drive more concerted action to protect consumers. The annual public reporting requirements and GAO oversight provisions strengthen accountability and should help sustain momentum beyond the initial implementation window. We thank Senators Maggie Hassan and Rick Scott for their leadership on this issue."

SCOOP: Bill aims to centralize government efforts to fight online fraud

Read the full bill HERE.

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