Overview

• The Stop SCAMS Act requires three federal agencies to coordinate their anti-scam efforts under FBI leadership. Each agency currently tracks scams differently, making it hard to see the full picture of fraud in America.
• Bill type: Proposed legislation now in House committee review.

Who does this affect?

• Main groups: FBI, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) must change how they track and report scams. Other government agencies can join if FBI Director invites them.
• Who benefits: American consumers and families who lose money to scams get better government protection through improved coordination. Law enforcement gets clearer data to identify fraud patterns.
• Teen impact score: 5/10 (indirect impact via family financial protection from scams)

What This Bill Does

• Within 1 year of passage: FBI Director must develop governmentwide anti-scam strategy and coordinate all federal agencies fighting fraud.
• Within 1 year: All three agencies must adopt a single, unified definition of 'scam' and agree on scam categories (romance scams, phishing, fake charities, etc.).
• Data harmonization deadline: Within 1 year, agencies must standardize how they collect scam data - tracking scam type, dollar loss amount, payment method used, and other key details consistently.
• Within 2 years: Agencies must produce first-ever governmentwide estimate of total scam victims yearly (including people who don't report) and total dollar losses across all fraud types.
• Training metrics: Each agency has 1 year to create scorecard measuring effectiveness of their public anti-scam education (webinars, community events).
• Public transparency: FBI, CFPB, and FTC must publish annual reports showing complaint totals and estimated losses from scams.

Legislative Status

• Status: Introduced in House on January 22, 2026 by Rep. Harder (D-CA) and Rep. Fitzpatrick (R-PA).
• Committee assignment: Referred to three committees - Judiciary, Energy and Commerce, and Financial Services. Each reviews portions relevant to their jurisdiction.

In short

• Three major federal agencies must coordinate scam-fighting efforts and use same definitions instead of working separately.
• Government will publish first comprehensive estimate of how many Americans get scammed yearly and total money lost.
• Agencies must track whether their public education about avoiding scams actually works.
• All reporting and data collection improvements must happen within 1-2 years if bill becomes law.
• Bipartisan support from California Democrat and Pennsylvania Republican.

Why should I care?

Scams drained Americans of billions last year, hitting families across income levels. Right now, FBI tracks some scams, FTC handles others, and CFPB focuses on financial fraud - but they don't always share information or count scams the same way. This bill forces them to work together and show the public real numbers. Better coordination means faster warnings when new scams spread, clearer advice on protection, and law enforcement that can connect dots across different types of fraud. Families lose college savings, retirement funds, and emergency money to scammers. Stronger government teamwork could slow the bleeding.