This legislation aims to establish a comprehensive national strategy to combat the increasing prevalence and sophistication of scams, which have resulted in significant financial losses for consumers. It mandates that the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) assemble a working group within 90 days of enactment, comprising representatives from numerous federal agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and various departments like Health and Human Services and Treasury. The working group is tasked with developing a National Strategy for Combating Scams within two years. This strategy must incorporate feedback from a wide range of stakeholders, including scam survivors, older adults, law enforcement, and businesses. Key components of the strategy include establishing a common definition of "scam" for use by the FBI, FTC, and CFPB, evaluating scam risks and prevention methods, and defining agency roles and responsibilities. Furthermore, the strategy will formulate plans for improving coordinated consumer complaint reporting, harmonizing data collection across agencies, and increasing collaboration between federal efforts and the private sector, particularly in data sharing and preemptive enforcement. It also seeks to enhance international cooperation to combat foreign-originated scams and support victim recovery. The strategy, along with subsequent updates every five years, must be submitted to Congress and made publicly available, with the FBI, FTC, and CFPB required to adopt the common "scam" definition within one year of its publication.
This legislation aims to establish a comprehensive national strategy to combat the increasing prevalence and sophistication of scams, which have resulted in significant financial losses for consumers. It mandates that the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) assemble a working group within 90 days of enactment, comprising representatives from numerous federal agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and various departments like Health and Human Services and Treasury. The working group is tasked with developing a National Strategy for Combating Scams within two years. This strategy must incorporate feedback from a wide range of stakeholders, including scam survivors, older adults, law enforcement, and businesses. Key components of the strategy include establishing a common definition of "scam" for use by the FBI, FTC, and CFPB, evaluating scam risks and prevention methods, and defining agency roles and responsibilities. Furthermore, the strategy will formulate plans for improving coordinated consumer complaint reporting, harmonizing data collection across agencies, and increasing collaboration between federal efforts and the private sector, particularly in data sharing and preemptive enforcement. It also seeks to enhance international cooperation to combat foreign-originated scams and support victim recovery. The strategy, along with subsequent updates every five years, must be submitted to Congress and made publicly available, with the FBI, FTC, and CFPB required to adopt the common "scam" definition within one year of its publication.