Senators Hassan, Scott Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Establish ReportScams.Gov, First Central Portal for Americans to Report Scams and Get Help

Hassan’s Ongoing Comprehensive Scams Investigations Have Identified Lack of Central Federal Reporting Portal as Major Barrier for Law Enforcement and the Public WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced bipartisan legislation to establish the first central portal for Americans to report scams and get the help they need from law enforcement and federal agencies. The ReportScams.gov Act will establish a comprehensive Federal Scams Action Plan and create a website – ReportScams.gov – to serve as a central location for federal scams reporting, information, and assistance. “Today, with no central hub to combat scams, Americans are forced to navigate a maze of agencies and websites when they want to report a scam and get help. That leads to people not reporting these scams at all, helping criminals evade accountability for the financial devastation that a scam can cause,” said Senator Hassan . “This bipartisan bill will establish a comprehensive, unified plan to thwart scammers and provide consumers with one clear user-friendly portal where they can report scams and alert law enforcement.” “Scammers and fraudsters have gotten completely out of control and prey on the most vulnerable Americans, especially seniors,” said Senator Scott . “At best, they bombard victims with relentless phone calls and messages. At worst, they pinpoint targets to steal hard-earned savings and destroy lives. Fraud prevention isn’t just a financial issue; it’s a matter of national security and dignity for older Americans. ReportScams.gov will create a centralized platform to report these fraudulent activities, and I’m proud to join Senator Hassan to tackle this growing problem.” Currently, different federal agencies work to counter scams, and each one largely works independently of the others. Eight of these agencies receive complaints about scams , which can lead to confusion and frustration for Americans who want to report a scam. This confusion and overlap were recently highlighted in a bipartisan hearing that Hassan co-led on combating scams and a Government Accountability Office report on opportunities to reduce duplication in the federal government. Hassan and Scott’s bill will address this problem by creating a centralized hub where Americans can report scams. Once reported, that information will be shared with federal agencies relevant for their case, as well as the appropriate state police. ReportScams.gov will provide: A portal where the American public can directly and securely report scams Reports will be routed directly to appropriate Federal and State law enforcement, along with information of the person who made the report, so that law enforcement can quickly reach out Scam prevention and education resources Descriptions of and information on scams Resources to help recognize and guard against scammers who impersonate government agencies and private sector entities like banks and other businesses Resources and information to assist Americans who have been scammed The following organizations have issued statements of support for the ReportScams.gov Act , including Erin West, Founder of Operation Shamrock, the Bipartisan Policy Center Action (BPC Action), and the North American Chapter of the Global Anti-Scam Alliance. "After twenty-six years as a prosecutor, I can tell you that scams are not isolated crimes. They are a coordinated, transnational industry, and the federal response has to be just as coordinated. The ReportScams.gov Act builds the infrastructure we have been missing — a single reporting portal for victims, a steering committee across every agency that touches this fight, and accountability through quarterly reporting and a four-year reduction target. This is the federal architecture this fight has needed and I'm grateful to Senators Maggie Hassan and Rick Scott for their leadership," said Erin West, Founder, Operation Shamrock. "BPC Action applauds Sens. Hassan (D-NH) and Scott (R-FL) for leading the bipartisan ReportScams.gov Act. This bill will coordinate and centralize federal efforts to counter increasingly pervasive and sophisticated scams by creating a comprehensive action plan to combat scams and a central repository for scam reporting, response, and prevention resources. Preventing scams is essential to protecting the financial security of American families, and BPC Action is proud to support this effort,” said Michele Stockwell, President, Bipartisan Policy Center Action. “The Global Anti-Scam Alliance North America Chapter commends Senators Hassan and Scott for introducing the ReportScams.gov Act. This bill addresses a persistent gap in the U.S. scam reporting landscape by mandating a secure, centralized, and publicly accessible website at the ReportScams.gov domain, supported by an interagency Scams Steering Committee and a Federal Scams Action Plan. The absence of a single, easily identifiable reporting portal is frequently cited by scam victims as a barrier to coming forward. The bill's reporting portal provisions, which require that submissions be routed expeditiously to relevant federal and state agencies, are also a promising foundation. The bill would also establish an ambitious four-year target for the federal government to reduce the number and financial cost of scams targeting Americans, setting an important benchmark that could drive more concerted action to protect consumers. The annual public reporting requirements and GAO oversight provisions strengthen accountability and should help sustain momentum beyond the initial implementation window. We thank Senators Maggie Hassan and Rick Scott for their leadership on this issue,” said Nils Mueller, Director, North America Chapter, Global Anti-Scam Alliance. This legislation is a part of Senator Hassan’s ongoing comprehensive efforts to combat scams, including as Ranking Member of the Joint Economic Committee. She has opened investigations into the roles that AI and voice cloning companies, federal agencies, data brokers , telecommunication companies , satellite internet providers , and online dating platforms have in protecting consumers from criminal fraud. Read the full text of the bill here and a one-pager here . ###