The bill directs the FBI to assemble a working group within 90 days of enactment, drawing on a broad set of agencies to develop a National Strategy for Combating Scams. It emphasizes stakeholder input, defines a process to harmonize definitions and data, and seeks to align complaint reporting, data sharing, and rapid response across federal authorities.
A public version of the strategy would be published within two years and updated at least every five years.
It also requires adoption of a common definition of the term 'scam' by the FBI, FTC, and CFPB within one year, with updates to that definition incorporated into the national strategy when the working group revises it. The overarching goal is to reduce losses to scams, improve protection for vulnerable populations, and enhance cross‑agency coordination and international cooperation where appropriate.
At a Glance
What It Does
Not later than 90 days after enactment, the FBI shall assemble a working group with multiple federal agencies to develop a National Strategy for Combating Scams. The strategy will cover definitions, prevention methods, data collection, interagency coordination, and rapid-response protocols.
Who It Affects
Federal agencies (FBI, FTC, CFPB, HHS, DHS, and others), the private sector (telecoms, financial institutions, technology companies), and consumer-focused groups. It also directly touches survivors of scams, older adults, and community organizations involved in prevention and Victim support.
Why It Matters
Fragmented scam-countering efforts across many agencies hinder effective prevention and enforcement. A coordinated strategy with a common definition and standardized data practices aims to improve detection, reporting, and victim remediation at scale.
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What This Bill Actually Does
The National Strategy for Combating Scams Act of 2025 creates a federally led, interagency process to formulate a unified national approach to scams. Within 90 days of enactment, the Director of the FBI must convene a working group that includes leadership from the FTC, CFPB, HHS, State, local, and other relevant agencies, along with private-sector and community stakeholders.
This group will develop a National Strategy designed to coordinate prevention, enforcement, data collection, and victim support across agencies and sectors.
A key early task is to establish a common definition of what constitutes a 'scam'—a definition that will be adopted by the FBI, FTC, and CFPB within one year and updated as the strategy evolves. The strategy must address several practical mechanisms: harmonized consumer complaint reporting (including accessibility for people with disabilities), consistent data collection on scam types and losses, and data interoperability to support enforcement and prevention efforts.
It also calls for rapid data-sharing protocols with private-sector partners to enable timely investigations and takedown actions, while ensuring appropriate privacy controls.The bill requires the working group to produce the National Strategy within two years and make it publicly available. The strategy should also assess risks, identify resource needs, and propose ways to coordinate federal, state, tribal, and local efforts—potentially including elder-justice components—and to monitor the strategy’s effectiveness over time.
Updates are required at least every five years, with public release and congressional briefing after each update.
The Five Things You Need to Know
The bill creates a FBI-led interagency Working Group within 90 days to develop a National Strategy for Combating Scams with participation from 18+ federal entities and relevant non-federal partners.
A common definition of 'scam' will be adopted by the FBI, FTC, and CFPB within one year, with updates incorporated into the strategy as it evolves.
The National Strategy requires coordinated complaint reporting, enhanced data collection, and data interoperability across agencies, plus private-sector data-sharing and rapid-response protocols.
The strategy must be submitted to the Senate Aging Committee and the Judiciary Committee and publicly released within two years of enactment.
Updates to the National Strategy must occur at least every five years, with public posting within 30 days of each update.
Section-by-Section Breakdown
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Findings
Congress identifies the scale and impact of scams, noting that a large share of adults report losses and that impostor schemes are prevalent. The findings also point to fragmented agency efforts and GAO recommendations that a single lead agency coordinate a national strategy. This section grounds the bill’s rationale for interagency coordination and a unified approach.
Establishment of Working Group
Not later than 90 days after enactment, the FBI shall assemble a working group to develop the National Strategy for Combating Scams, coordinating with the heads of a broad slate of federal departments and agencies. The design emphasizes cross‑agency collaboration and structured stakeholder input to inform policy and practice.
Development of National Strategy
The working group shall produce a comprehensive plan addressing definitions, risk analysis, prevention methods, agency roles, and data practices. It requires input from survivors, older adults, law enforcement, state and local prosecutors, businesses, and consumer advocates to ensure the strategy is actionable across jurisdictions.
Submission and Publication
Within two years, the working group must submit the National Strategy to the Senate Special Committee on Aging and the Judiciary Committees of both chambers, and must make the strategy publicly accessible. This ensures oversight and broad visibility for implementation.
Updates
The strategy must be updated at least every five years, incorporating new stakeholder feedback and adjusting the definition of 'scam' as needed. Each update requires public posting and congressional notification to maintain transparency and relevance.
Adoption of Common Definition
Within one year of publication of the National Strategy, the FBI, FTC, and CFPB shall adopt the common definition of 'scam' recommended by the working group. This alignment across agencies aims to standardize reporting and enforcement.
Updates to Definition
If the definition is updated in the National Strategy, the three agencies must adopt the updated definition within one year. This ensures the definition remains current with evolving scam typologies and mechanisms.
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Explore Government in Codify Search →Who Benefits and Who Bears the Cost
Every bill creates winners and losers. Here's who stands to gain and who bears the cost.
Who Benefits
- Survivors of scams and their advocates gain clearer pathways to reporting, redress, and prevention resources through coordinated agency action.
- Older adults and Area Agencies on Aging benefit from elder-focused prevention efforts and accessible complaint channels.
- Financial institutions, telecoms, and technology companies gain clearer coordination protocols and faster takedown capabilities to curb scam-related abuse.
- State, local, and Tribal governments receive guidance on intergovernmental collaboration and improved data for enforcement and victim assistance.
- Consumer protection professionals and researchers obtain standardized data definitions and interoperable data sources to analyze trends and measure impact.
Who Bears the Cost
- Federal agencies incur additional coordination, data integration, and reporting responsibilities that require staffing and funding.
- Private-sector entities may face compliance costs to share data securely and to implement rapid-response protocols for scam-related activity.
- Public resources are needed to sustain elder-justice and victim-support initiatives and cross-jurisdictional collaborations.
- Data standards and interoperability initiatives may require technical modernization and privacy safeguards to prevent misuse.
- Ongoing oversight and periodic updates demand continued political and fiscal attention across multiple jurisdictions.
Key Issues
The Core Tension
The central tension is between achieving a unified, proactive national response to scams and preserving agency autonomy, privacy protections, and practical implementation across diverse actors. A robust, common definition and shared data capabilities can enable rapid action, but may face resistance from agencies and stakeholders concerned about scope creep, data privacy, and resource constraints.
The bill aims for a comprehensive national approach but relies on cross‑agency coordination that can be bureaucratically complex. Standardizing definitions and data practices across diverse agencies and sectors raises privacy and civil liberties considerations, especially when harmonizing complaint data and enabling private-sector data sharing.
Implementation will require sustained funding and clear governance to avoid duplication or friction between agencies with overlapping mandates. The effectiveness of the strategy will depend on rigorous measurement, timely updates, and the ability to translate interagency coordination into tangible protections for consumers and victims.
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