Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) is calling on Congress to pass several bills that seek to crack down on scammers “who defraud and exploit Americans.”
“Whether it’s in the form of phone calls or sophisticated cybercrime, scammers are running rampant through our country,” Sen. Scott warned. “Criminals are weaponizing new technologies like artificial intelligence to swindle Americans out of their life savings.”
Over the course of the 119th U.S. Congress (2025-2026), the Florida Senator has introduced and co-sponsored numerous bills to aid in the fight against fraudsters.
Sen. Scott's Anti-Fraud Efforts
Sen. Scott has sponsored the Strengthening Targeting of Organized Predatory Scammers (STOP Scammers) Act, the Trusted Foreign Auditing Act of 2025, and the Secure America’s Finance Exchanges (SAFE) Act.
The Florida Republican has also co-sponsored the “ReportScams.gov Act.” A bill introduced by Democratic Senator Margaret Wood Hassan (NH) in 2026.
What Do These Bills Do?
The STOP Scammers Act mandates the Treasury Secretary to “identify and designate foreign entities” involved in “financial fraud” against Americans as "Foreign Financial Threat Organizations (FFTO)".
Through the designation, the U.S. government can freeze assets and impose sanctions similar to those placed on global terrorist groups.
The SAFE Act directs the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to “implement specific disclosure requirements for Chinese-based companies seeking access into U.S.-based Exchanges through Initial Public Offering (IPOs).”
The Trusted Foreign Auditing Act orders Chinese companies to contract “independent auditors” separate from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to “protect U.S. investors and capital.”
The ReportScams.gov Act aims to establish the “first centralized” digital center for U.S. citizens to report fraud schemes. The hub will aim to provide fraud victims with assistance and resources following a scam incident.
“These criminals must be stopped and held accountable. These bills will go a long way to turn the tide on the scam epidemic. These are all commonsense solutions to a glaring problem; let’s get to work,” Sen. Scott said.
