In a recent report, WLRN covered a letter from U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Rick Scott and other committee members, including Senator Mark Kelly, Ranking Member Kirsten Gillibrand, and Senator Ashley Moody. The letter was addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, and U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran. It urged these agencies to prioritize efforts to dismantle international scams targeting seniors.
The call for action follows the release of the committee's annual Fraud Report, which highlights financial threats faced by America's aging population and offers guidance on identifying and reporting scams.
According to Elizabeth Insuasti's article in WLRN:
“Sen. Rick Scott of Florida and a bipartisan group of lawmakers are urging federal agencies to ramp up efforts to combat international scams that target older Americans, calling the growing threat a matter of "public trust and security."
The senators' letter demanded coordinated investigations into foreign fraud networks exploiting seniors. They cited $3.4 billion in losses related to trafficked labor in Southeast Asia in 2023.
The senators also emphasized the need for increased interagency coordination, stronger partnerships with international law enforcement, and expanded public awareness campaigns to prevent further exploitation.
For more details on Chairman Scott’s letter, read Elizabeth Insuasti's full article in WLRN.
