U.S. House Passes Bipartisan Legislation to Crack Down on Fraud Against Seniors

WTSP 10 News reports that the U.S. House of Representatives has passed bipartisan legislation from two Florida congressmen to rein in fraud targeting older Americans. Reps. Vern Buchanan (R) and Ted Deutch (D) proposed the Seniors Fraud Protection Act, partly because Florida has the highest percentage of people 60 and up in the country and Buchanan's office said the state had become "a hotbed" for crimes against seniors. Buchanan stated that "scams targeting seniors are growing at a disturbing rate and threaten more than retirement accounts — they imperil the independence and trust of an already vulnerable community." The measure targets common scams against older people, including sweepstakes and charity schemes, as well as online fraud and fake investment plans. AARP has endorsed the legislation, noting that senior-targeting scams have only increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. If passed by the Senate and signed by the President, the ordinance would establish an advisory office in the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Consumer Affairs responsible for keeping consumers updated about new scams. "Passing this bill into law is a big step forward to protecting seniors and combating fraud," Buchanan declared.