[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 80 (Tuesday, May 14, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S2836]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 210--SUPPORTING THE DESIGNATION OF MAY 15, 2019, AS 
 ``NATIONAL SENIOR FRAUD AWARENESS DAY'' TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE 
INCREASING NUMBER OF FRAUDULENT SCHEMES TARGETING SENIORS IN THE UNITED 
 STATES, TO ENCOURAGE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES TO PREVENT THOSE 
   SCHEMES, AND TO IMPROVE PROTECTIONS FROM THOSE SCHEMES FOR SENIORS

  Ms. COLLINS (for herself, Mr. Casey, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Jones, Mr. Scott 
of Florida, Ms. Rosen, Ms. McSally, Ms. Warren, and Ms. Sinema) 
submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 210

       Whereas, in 2035, there will be an estimated 78,000,000 
     individuals age 65 or older in the United States (referred to 
     in this preamble as ``seniors''), compared to an estimated 
     76,700,000 individuals under the age of 18;
       Whereas senior fraud is a growing concern as millions of 
     seniors in the United States are targeted by scams each year, 
     including Internal Revenue Service impersonation scams, 
     identify theft or identity fraud involving Social Security 
     benefits and other identity theft, sweepstakes and lottery 
     scams, grandparent scams, computer tech support scams, 
     romance scams, work-at-home scams, charity scams, home 
     improvement scams, and fraudulent investment schemes;
       Whereas other types of fraud perpetrated against seniors 
     include health care fraud, health insurance fraud, 
     counterfeit prescription drug fraud, funeral and cemetery 
     fraud, ``anti-aging'' product fraud, telemarketing fraud, and 
     internet fraud;
       Whereas the Government Accountability Office has estimated 
     that seniors lose a staggering $2,900,000,000 each year to an 
     ever-growing array of financial exploitation schemes and 
     scams;
       Whereas, since 2013, the fraud hotline of the Special 
     Committee on Aging of the Senate has received more than 8,200 
     complaints reporting possible scams from individuals in all 
     50 States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of 
     Puerto Rico;
       Whereas the ease with which criminals contact seniors 
     through the internet and telephone increases as more creative 
     schemes emerge;
       Whereas, according to the Consumer Sentinel Network Data 
     Book 2018, released by the Federal Trade Commission, people 
     age 60 or older were defrauded of approximately $391,000,000 
     in 2018, with the median loss to defrauded victims age 80 or 
     older averaging $1,700 per person, more than double the 
     average amount lost by victims between the ages of 50 and 59;
       Whereas senior fraud is underreported by victims due to 
     embarrassment and lack of information about where to report 
     fraud; and
       Whereas May 15, 2019, is an appropriate day to establish as 
     ``National Senior Fraud Awareness Day'': Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the designation of May 15, 2019, as ``National 
     Senior Fraud Awareness Day'';
       (2) recognizes National Senior Fraud Awareness Day as an 
     opportunity to raise awareness about the barrage of scams 
     that individuals age 65 or older in the United States 
     (referred to in this resolution as ``seniors'') face in 
     person, by mail, on the phone, and online;
       (3) recognizes that law enforcement, consumer protection 
     groups, area agencies on aging, and financial institutions 
     all play vital roles in preventing scams targeting seniors 
     and educating seniors about those scams;
       (4) encourages implementation of policies to prevent scams 
     targeting seniors and to improve measures to protect seniors 
     from those scams; and
       (5) honors the commitment and dedication of the individuals 
     and organizations that work tirelessly to fight against scams 
     targeting seniors.

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