Senator Rick Scott, who serves as chair of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, led a hearing focused on international scams targeting older Americans. The hearing, titled “Made in China, Paid by Seniors: Stopping the Wave of International Scams,” examined how criminal networks exploit digital infrastructure linked to China to commit cybercrimes and financial fraud against seniors.
Witnesses at the hearing included Nathan Picarsic, principal investigator at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies; Kathy Stokes, senior director of fraud prevention at AARP’s Fraud Watch Network; and Jacqueline Burns Koven, director of cyber threat intelligence at Chainalysis. Their testimonies described the operations of international scam networks and detailed how digital tools enable cybercrime and human trafficking that have serious consequences for American families and older individuals.
According to Senator Scott’s office, he has taken several steps over the past year to address these issues. These include leading a bipartisan report on elder fraud in 2025 aimed at raising national awareness about financial exploitation targeting seniors. He has also continued support for the committee’s free fraud hotline designed to expand access to education, prevention tools, and direct support for seniors and their families.
Scott has backed legislation such as the National Strategy to Combat Scams Act, GUARD Act, STOP Scammers Act, and a resolution recognizing National Anti-Scam Day.
The Senate Aging Committee is responsible for addressing matters affecting older Americans through hearings and reports that shape policy on issues like Social Security and Medicare. It also oversees federal programs related to elder care and retirement security while providing resources for public awareness about aging issues (https://www.aging.senate.gov/). The committee offers resources such as a fraud hotline intended to protect older adults from scams (https://www.aging.senate.gov/).
The committee operates out of offices in Washington D.C.’s Dirksen Senate Office Building for its majority members (https://www.aging.senate.gov/). Rick Scott is currently serving as chair while Kirsten Gillibrand is ranking member (https://www.aging.senate.gov/).
“The digital infrastructure of communist China enables cybercrime, fuels human trafficking, and sustains the global scam economy with devastating consequences for American families and seniors,” said witnesses during their testimony.
To view Senator Scott’s full remarks from the hearing, see additional materials provided by his office.
