May 20, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 95 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session

[Page S2555]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 590--SUPPORTING THE DESIGNATION OF MAY 15, 2020, 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, Ms. Sinema, Ms. McSally, Mr. Rubio, Mr. 
Hawley, Mr. Casey, Mr. Jones, Ms. Warren, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Scott of 
South Carolina, Mr. Braun, and Ms. Rosen) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 590

       Whereas millions of older adults in the United States 
     (referred to in this preamble as ``seniors'') are targeted by 
     scams each year, including Social Security impersonation 
     scams and Internal Revenue Service impersonation scams, 
     sweepstakes scams, romance scams, computer tech support 
     scams, grandparent scams, debt scams, home improvement scams, 
     fraudulent investment schemes, and identity theft;
       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, in 2020, scammers are exploiting the ongoing 
     coronavirus crisis to prey on seniors through a variety of 
     scams, including economic impact payment scams, test kit 
     scams, contact tracing scams, and work-from-home scams;
       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 9,500 
     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 2019 released by the Federal Trade Commission, people 
     age 60 or older reported losing approximately $445,000,000 to 
     fraud in 2019, with a median loss for victims age 80 or older 
     of $1,600, more than triple the median amount lost by 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 15, 2020, 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, 2020, 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--
       (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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