WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Stop Seniors Scams Act, legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – chairman of the U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Manufacturing, Trade, and Consumer Protection – and Bob Casey (D-Penn.) – ranking member of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging – to help prevent scammers from taking advantage of seniors.

The bill would create a federal advisory council to develop educational materials for retailers, financial institutions and wire transfer companies to train employees on how to spot and stop financial scams at the point of sale.

“Our nation’s seniors are among the most vulnerable consumers in this digital age, and scammers frequently target seniors to steal their money, identity and dignity,” said Sen. Moran. “This legislation would bring industry and government leaders together to make certain we are doing all we can to protect seniors. I appreciate the Senate passing this legislation and urge the House of Representatives to bring this important legislation to the floor for a vote.”

“Far too often, older Americans are targeted and victimized by scam artists who coerce and threaten legal action against our older loved ones if ‘payment’ is not made immediately, often through a wire transfer or gift card,” said Sen. Casey. “And these scammers are always creating new ways, such as recent coronavirus-related schemes, to scare seniors out of even more money. I am pleased that the Senate passed the Stop Senior Scams Act because it brings us one step closer to ensuring that retailers, banks and others have the most up-to-date information available to help prevent seniors from losing one more penny to these unscrupulous actors. I hope the House will take up and pass this legislation quickly.”

If you or a loved one receives a suspicious call, contact the office of Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt to file a complaint https://ag.ks.gov/complaint-center.

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