[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 92 (Thursday, May 26, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2758-S2759]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 655--SUPPORTING THE DESIGNATION OF MAY 13, 2022 AS 
 ``NATIONAL SENIOR FRAUD AWARENESS DAY'' TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE 
INCREASING NUMBER OF FRAUDULENT SCAMS TARGETED AT SENIORS IN THE UNITED 
 STATES, TO ENCOURAGE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES TO PREVENT THOSE 
 SCAMS FROM HAPPENING, AND TO IMPROVE PROTECTIONS FROM THOSE SCAMS FOR 
                                SENIORS

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

                              S. Res. 655

       Whereas millions of individuals age 65 or older (referred 
     to in this preamble as ``seniors'') in the United States are 
     targeted by scams each year, including vacation scams, Social 
     Security impersonation scams and Internal Revenue Service 
     impersonation scams, other government agency impersonation 
     scams, veterans benefits scams, sweepstakes scams, romance 
     scams, computer tech support scams, grandparent scams, debt 
     collection scams, home improvement scams, fraudulent 
     investment schemes, pet scams, and identity theft;
       Whereas other types of fraud perpetrated against seniors 
     include Medicare impersonation fraud, health care fraud, 
     health insurance fraud, counterfeit prescription drug fraud, 
     funeral and cemetery fraud, ``anti-aging'' product fraud, 
     telemarketing fraud, charity and disaster scams, internet 
     fraud, and cyberattacks;
       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 
     10,000 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 2021 released by the Federal Trade Commission, 
     individuals age 60 or older reported losing $1,034,000,000 to 
     fraud in 2021, with a median loss for victims age 80 or older 
     of $1,500, nearly 3 times the median amount lost by those 
     victims between the ages of 50 and 59;
       Whereas senior fraud is underreported by victims due to 
     shame, stigma, and lack of information about where to report 
     fraud; and
       Whereas May 13, 2022 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 13, 2022 as ``National 
     Senior Fraud Awareness Day'';
       (2) recognizes National Senior Fraud Awareness Day as an 
     opportunity to raise

[[Page S2759]]

     awareness about the barrage of scams that individuals age 65 
     or older (referred to in this resolution as ``seniors'') in 
     the United States face in person, by mail, on the phone, via 
     text message, and online;
       (3) recognizes that law enforcement agencies, consumer 
     protection groups, area agencies on aging, and financial 
     institutions all play vital roles in--
       (A) preventing the proliferation of scams targeting seniors 
     in the United States; and
       (B) educating seniors about those scams;
       (4) encourages--
       (A) the implementation of policies to prevent scams 
     targeting seniors; and
       (B) the improvement of efforts 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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