Congressman Joe Morelle Acts to Protect Older Americans from Scams
Press Release
Today, Congressman Joe Morelle announced the passage of critical legislation aimed at protecting older Americans from scams and other fraudulent tactics.
"Scammers often use times of crisis to prey on victims, leading to a significant rise in incidents of fraudulent activity during the COVID-19 pandemic," said Congressman Morelle. "Unfortunately, vulnerable populations like seniors are more likely to be targeted and less likely to report it. I'm proud to have helped pass this legislation to protect older Americans from fraud and further distress during these already challenging times."
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has received nearly 260,000 reports of fraud between January of 2020 and April 2021 totaling over $406.3 million in losses. According to the FBI, up to $3 billion annually is stolen from seniors in the United States due to cases of elder fraud.
Congressman Morelle voted to enact the following bills, both supported by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), to safeguard consumers:
H.R.446, the Protecting Seniors from Emergency Scams Act directs the FTC to create a resource on their website allowing consumers to search for scams targeting seniors based on region. The bill also calls on the FTC to work with media outlets and law enforcement to publicly share information about scams and requires the agency to report on the types of scams and make recommendations to guide Congress in preventing further scams during the pandemic and future national emergencies.
H.R.1215, the Fraud and Scam Reduction Act establishes an office and Senior Scams Prevention Advisory Group, bringing together the FTC, Treasury Department and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, to help gather insights and promote community education to prevent internet, telemarketing and other fraud targeting seniors.
This legislation has passed the House of Representatives and will be sent to the Senate for consideration.
If you or someone you know believes they are being targeted by a scam, please contact the FTC: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/
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