U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI) wants to support scam survivors and prevent future scams among government, the private sector, and nonprofit organizations by designating May 8 as National Scam Survivor Day.
“Last year, 2.6 million Americans lost more than $12.5 billion to scams,” Rep. Steil said. “I commend each American who has spoken out to raise awareness after falling victim to scams.”
On May 7, Rep. Steil sponsored House Joint Resolution 397 with two original cosponsors, including U.S. Rep. Josh Harder (D-CA), to encourage scam survivors to tell their stories to combat the stigma that may prevent individuals from seeking the guidance and assistance they deserve, according to a summary provided by the lawmakers.
“We must continue to share our experiences to prevent common scams and block new ones as they arise,” said Rep. Steil. “I will continue working to prevent others from falling victim to scams.”
According to language in the resolution, scammers continue to develop new strategies to target American citizens, including social media scams, where the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) estimates the highest overall reported losses total $1.9 billion; small business scams, such as fraudulent invoices, advertising offerings, and impersonations of government officials; and scams using artificial intelligence to create false audio or video files.
Likewise, targeting of at-risk individuals for scams is rising, the text says, including for United States military veterans, who last year reported $584 million in losses to scams, the FTC says, and for senior citizens, 75 percent of who experienced a scam attempt between 2021 and 2023, according to a study by the University of Michigan.
“Criminals are getting better and better at scamming our families, especially our seniors, out of their hard-earned money. It’s completely unacceptable and has to be stopped,” said Rep. Harder. “By creating a National Scam Survivor Day, we can remove the stigma around falling victim to scams and help hold these criminals accountable.”
The resolution would encourage increased public awareness of scams and strategies to prevent or address scams; recognize the impact of scams on American citizens and businesses; recognize the importance of improving public access to scam prevention resources; encourage scam survivors to tell their stories; and support the role of federal and local law enforcement entities in addressing scams, among other provisions.
The resolution has been referred to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee for consideration.