As part of a larger anti-fraud measure, the U.S. House of Representatives on Nov. 17 approved a bipartisan bill supported by U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) that aims to prevent fraud against older Americans.
Rep. Buchanan is the lead original cosponsor of the Seniors Fraud Protection Act of 2019, H.R. 2301, which he introduced in April 2019 with U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL). The bill on Tuesday received House approval as part of the larger, bipartisan Fraud and Scam Reduction Act, H.R. 2610, which now awaits action in the U.S. Senate.
“Seniors have worked their entire lives with the promise of a safe and secure retirement,” Rep. Buchanan said. “Scams targeting the elderly are growing at a disturbing rate and threaten more than retirement accounts – they imperil the independence and trust of an already vulnerable community.”
Rep. Buchanan’s bill directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to establish an office within the Bureau of Consumer Protection to provide advisement on the prevention of fraud targeting seniors and to assist the FTC with monitoring the market for mail, television, internet, telemarketing, and recorded message telephone call fraud targeting seniors, according to the congressional record bill summary.
The Senate on Wednesday passed its version of the bill, S. 512, which was introduced in February 2019 by U.S. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).
According to his office, Rep. Buchanan’s home state of Florida reportedly has the nation’s highest percentage of senior citizens aged 60 years and older and is a hotbed for common scams against seniors, such as sweepstakes and charity schemes, as well as fraudulent investment plans and internet fraud.
“Passing this bill into law is a big step forward to protecting seniors and combating fraud,” Rep. Buchanan said.