Title: Supporting the designation of May 13, 2021, as "National Senior Fraud Awareness Day" to raise awareness about the increasing number of fraudulent scams targeted at seniors in the United States, to encourage the implementation of policies to prevent those scams from happening, and to improve protections from those scams for seniors.
Policy area: Commerce

Summary:
This resolution expresses support for the designation of National Senior Fraud Awareness Day and encourages the development of policies that help prevent scams targeting older adults.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 392 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 392

Supporting the designation of May 13, 2021, as ``National Senior Fraud 
   Awareness Day'' to raise awareness about the increasing number of 
fraudulent scams targeted at seniors in the United States, to encourage 
 the implementation of policies to prevent those scams from happening, 
        and to improve protections from those scams for seniors.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 13, 2021

 Ms. Bass (for herself, Mrs. Axne, Mr. Cardenas, Mr. Carson, Ms. Dean, 
 Mr. Deutch, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Gottheimer, Mr. Higgins of New York, 
Ms. Jackson Lee, Mrs. Lee of Nevada, Ms. Norton, Ms. Bonamici, and Ms. 
 Schakowsky) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                  the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Supporting the designation of May 13, 2021, as ``National Senior Fraud 
   Awareness Day'' to raise awareness about the increasing number of 
fraudulent scams targeted at seniors in the United States, to encourage 
 the implementation of policies to prevent those scams from happening, 
        and to improve protections from those scams for seniors.

Whereas millions of individuals age 65 or older (referred to in this preamble as 
        ``seniors'') in the United States are targeted by scams each year, 
        including Social Security impersonation scams and Internal Revenue 
        Service impersonation scams, sweepstakes scams, romance scams, computer 
        tech support scams, grandparent scams, debt scams, home improvement 
        scams, fraudulent investment schemes, pet scams, and identity theft;
Whereas other types of fraud perpetrated against seniors include health care 
        fraud, health insurance fraud, counterfeit prescription drug fraud, 
        funeral and cemetery fraud, ``anti-aging'' product fraud, telemarketing 
        fraud, and internet fraud;
Whereas scammers are, as of the date of adoption of this resolution, exploiting 
        the ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to prey on 
        seniors through a variety of scams, including Economic Impact Payment 
        scams, test kit scams, contact tracing scams, work-from-home scams, and 
        COVID-19 vaccine survey scams;
Whereas the Government Accountability Office has estimated that seniors lose a 
        staggering $2,900,000,000 each year to an ever-growing array of 
        financial exploitation schemes and scams;
Whereas, since 2013, the fraud hotline of the Special Committee on Aging of the 
        Senate has received more than 10,000 complaints reporting possible scams 
        from individuals in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the 
        Commonwealth of Puerto Rico;
Whereas the ease with which criminals contact seniors through the internet and 
        telephone increases as more creative schemes emerge;
Whereas, according to the Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2020 released by 
        the Federal Trade Commission, people age 60 or older reported losing 
        $592,000,000 to fraud in 2020, with a median loss for victims age 80 or 
        older of $1,300, nearly 4 times the median amount lost by those victims 
        between the ages of 50 and 59;
Whereas senior fraud is underreported by victims due to shame, stigma, and lack 
        of information about where to report fraud; and
Whereas May 13, 2021, is an appropriate day to establish as ``National Senior 
        Fraud Awareness Day'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of ``National Senior Fraud 
        Awareness Day'';
            (2) recognizes National Senior Fraud Awareness Day as an 
        opportunity to raise awareness about the barrage of scams that 
        individuals age 65 or older (referred to in this resolution as 
        ``seniors'') in the United States face in person, by mail, on 
        the phone, and online;
            (3) recognizes that law enforcement, consumer protection 
        groups, area agencies on aging, and financial institutions all 
        play vital roles in--
                    (A) preventing the proliferation of scams targeting 
                seniors in the United States; and
                    (B) educating seniors about those scams;
            (4) encourages--
                    (A) the implementation of policies to prevent scams 
                targeting seniors; and
                    (B) the improvement of efforts to protect seniors 
                from those scams; and
            (5) honors the commitment and dedication of the individuals 
        and organizations that work tirelessly to fight against scams 
        targeting seniors.
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