Protecting Seniors from Emergency Scams Act

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 446, the ``Protecting Seniors from Emergency Scams Act,'' which requires the Federal Trade Commission to report on, and increase awareness regarding, scams targeting older adults.

The FTC must: report on the number and type of scams that target older adults and provide policy recommendations to prevent such scams; revise the commission's web portal with current information about such scams, including contact information for law enforcement and protective services agencies; and coordinate with media outlets and law enforcement to disseminate such information.

Our seniors should not be victims of scams during coronavirus pandemic.

This bipartisan legislation will help protect seniors from fraud during this public health crisis and prevent emergency-related scams in the future.

Every year scam artists target senior citizens resulting in financial losses between $2 billion and $12 billion, and now during the COVID-19 pandemic, these scammers are using fear and uncertainty to take advantage of our vulnerable populations.

Our seniors have borne the brunt of this pandemic in high infection rates and deaths.

Now many seniors are being targeted by scammers who prey on their COVID-19 fears.

We must pass this bill and work to educate our seniors and those who care for them to look out for scams.

There is a moral obligation to stop these con artists by empowering seniors with facts and information while aggressively targeting criminals with all the resources available through the Federal Trade Commission.

Throughout the pandemic, uncertainty has led to many Houstonians falling victim to scam callers especially vulnerable populations like seniors.

Houston police and the Harris County District Attorney have made an arrest in an international cyber-scam that bilked unsuspecting, mostly elderly victims out of more than $1 million.

One victim of the scam, Asuncion Peppers, 74, a retired medical technician knows that first hand; She was bilked out of her life savings.

Hackers contacted Ms. Peppers on Facebook, pretending to be one of her Facebook friends.

She was told she was eligible for a government grant of almost one million dollars and all she had to do was send a check to pay taxes.

Investigators believes the scammers were operating from Nigeria, defrauding senior citizens in the U.S. and around the world.

Before Peppers realized she was being conned, she sent checks totaling $87,000 hard-earned money.

She said that she worked three jobs to build her life savings.

In her case the person who received the funds was 65-year-old Joe Reyes, who washed the funds through several local banks.

Reyes was receiving funds from scams and then converting them into Bitcoin to send back to the scammers.

Peppers and her husband are just two of 38 victims bilked out of more than $1.3 million before the fraud was discovered.

Reyes is now charged with money laundering and other charges that could send him to prison for years.

Our seniors need our help to be physically and financial safe during

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 446) to require the Federal Trade Commission to submit a report to Congress on scams targeting seniors, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 446.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 446, the Protecting Seniors from Emergency Scams Act. Representatives Kelly and Balderson introduced this bipartisan legislation to further efforts by the FTC to stop fraud targeting seniors.

This bill streamlines efforts to protect seniors from falling prey to scams during national emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, by establishing a searchable database of scams targeting seniors.

In the Committee on Energy and Commerce, we have held multiple hearings exploring the rise in fraud and scams that have come with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unfortunately, scammers often take advantage of the fear and uncertainty that results from emergency situations. And since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, consumers have reported losing more than $300 million in just pandemic-related fraud.

After Hurricane Sandy ravaged the East Coast, including my own district in New Jersey, scammers preyed on people who lost their homes and livelihoods. We saw contracting scammers promising to rebuild people's homes but who took the money and ran. One man was in prison for using fake titles to sell Sandy-damaged cars.

Unfortunately, older Americans are targeted disproportionately and affected by this fraud. Older Americans reported significantly bigger monetary losses from fraud than younger adults.

According to a recent FTC report, phone scams result in the highest reported losses by older adults, particularly adults over 80. Phone- based scams can be especially problematic in emergency situations like the pandemic when people are spending more time at home and seniors may be more isolated.

Representatives Kelly and Balderson's bill will help address these scams. It directs the FTC to issue a report on fraud targeting seniors during the pandemic and how to improve efforts against senior scams during future emergencies.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Kelly), the lead sponsor of the bill who has worked so hard, particularly during the pandemic, to address disparities in healthcare.

Mr. Speaker, I also urge support for the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 446, the Protecting Seniors from Emergency Scams Act. I would like to thank Representative Robin Kelly of the Energy and Commerce Committee for her bipartisan work with Representative Troy Balderson to protect our constituents.

The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the lives of millions of Americans upside down, unfortunately. We were all forced to isolate, sometimes even away from our families and friends, to stay safe. Unfortunately, it is during these times when bad actors aim to exploit the most vulnerable. Promising fake lifesaving medication and stimulus checks, scammers will stop at nothing to take advantage of others.

H.R. 446 would protect Americans, especially seniors, from malicious and deceptive scams by augmenting the tools included in other recently enacted legislation. As they have worked on legislation to fight scammers, I have supported my colleagues' efforts to incorporate provisions that encourage cooperation with law enforcement. I am pleased to see such efforts continue in this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, of course, I urge my colleagues to pass this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Balderson), the cosponsor of the legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to vote for it.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, the past year has been tough for many of us but especially difficult for seniors. Many have lost friends and loved ones from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Increased isolation and dependence on digital resources have put extra burdens on millions of Americans.

From frantic calls of, ``Grandma, I am in the hospital sick with COVID. Please wire money right away,'' to calls from supposed Good Samaritans offering to run errands and then pocketing the money, scammers are using the pandemic to take advantage of vulnerable populations. They are preying on fear and uncertainty to steal money and personal information or sell fraudulent services or products.

One of the best ways to prevent seniors from falling victim to scams is to supply them with the information they need. That is why H.R. 446 requires the FTC to report on the number and type of scams that target older adults. It also will have the Commission's web portal updated with current information about such scams and coordination with media outlets and law enforcement to disseminate scam information. Seniors need to know what scams are happening in their areas so they can protect themselves.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Balderson for joining me in leading this legislation and Chairman Pallone for his support in advancing legislation to protect our seniors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 446, legislation aimed that at protecting older Americans from falling victim to scammers.

Throughout the pandemic, uncertainty has led to many Americans falling victim to scam callers, especially vulnerable populations like seniors. We have a responsibility to stop bad actors like these scam artists in their tracks. That starts with empowering the American people with information to better protect themselves and their loved ones from falling victim.

H.R. 446 would direct the Federal Trade Commission to identify scammers and make such information publicly available. This legislation also equips the FTC to more proactively alert the public about known scams, specifically in their region.

Mr. Speaker, our seniors have suffered enough. It is time to better supply them and their loved ones with the information needed to protect themselves against scammers who shamelessly prey on the most vulnerable. That is why I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 446, the Protecting Seniors from Emergency Scams Act.