,,ii #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #dghb ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #ae1 #bjbf,ms4 ,hassan 7for herself and ,mr4 ,scott of ,florida7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to establish a ,federal ,government priority goal1 ,scams ,steering ,committee1 ,scams ,action ,plan1 and website to promote scams information and prevention1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,report,scams4gov ,act4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,appropriate congressional committees ,the term appropriate congressional committees means-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs of the ,senate2 7,b7 the ,committee on ,oversight and ,government ,reform of the ,house of ,representatives2 and 7,c7 any other committees of jurisdiction1 as determined appropriate by the ,comptroller ,general4 7#b7 ,director ,the term ,director means the ,director of the ,office of ,management and ,budget4 7#c7 ,federal ,scams ,action ,plan ,the term ,federal ,scams ,action ,plan means the ,federal ,scams ,action ,plan developed by the ,scams ,steering ,committee under section #c7;c74 7#d7 ,scam ,the term scam means a method of committing fraud1 involving the use of deception or manipulation intended to achieve financial gain1 regardless of whether any related payments or transactions are authorized or unauthorized4 7#e7 ,scams ,steering ,committee ,the term ,scams ,steering ,committee means the interagency committee established under section #c7;b74 7#f7 ,scams ,priority ,goal ,the term ,scams ,priority ,goal means the ,federal ,government priority goal to reduce scams affecting the people of the ,united ,states established under section #c7;a74 7#g7 ,scammer ,the term scammer means an individual1 organization1 or entity that engages in behavior that facilitates1 commits1 or attempts to commit a scam4 7#h7 ,spoofing ,the term spoofing means utilizing technological means1 such as websites1 email addresses1 phone numbers1 etc41 to impersonate legitimate or trusted persons or organizations4 7#i7 ,state ,the term ,state means any ,state of the ,united ,states1 the ,district of ,columbia1 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1 any territory or possession of the ,united ,states1 any political subdivision1 or any department1 agency1 or instrumentality thereof4 #c4 ,establishment of ,federal ,government priority goal and ,action ,plan to reduce scams 7a7 ,establishment of ,scams ,priority ,goal 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ij days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,director shall1 in accordance with section #aabj7;a7 of title #ca ,united ,states ,code1 establish a ,federal ,government priority goal to reduce scams affecting the people of the ,united ,states4 7#b7 ,goal leaders 7,a7 ,in general ,not later than #ij days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,director shall identify goal leaders for the ,scams ,priority ,goal4 7,b7 ,selection ,the goal leaders identified under subparagraph 7,a7 shall include the ,deputy ,director for ,management at the ,office of ,management and ,budget and the ,deputy ,secretary or equivalent of not fewer than #a ,federal department with a lead role in addressing scams4 7b7 ,establishment of ,scams ,steering ,committee 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ij days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,director shall establish an interagency ,scams ,steering ,committee1 chaired by the goal leaders identified under subsection 7a77#b77;,a74 7#b7 ,members ,the members of the ,scams ,steering ,committee shall include #a or more distinct representatives from each of the following ,federal agencies responsible for reducing scams3 7,a7 ,the ,department of ,justice4 7,b7 ,the ,federal ,bureau of ,investigation4 7,c7 ,the ,federal ,reserve4 7,d7 ,the ,consumer ,financial ,protection ,bureau4 7,e7 ,the ,federal ,deposit ,insurance ,corporation4 7,f7 ,the ,federal ,trade ,commission4 7,g7 ,the ,department of ,homeland ,security4 7,h7 ,homeland ,security ,investigations4 7,i7 ,the ,united ,states ,secret ,service4 7,j7 ,the ,department of the ,treasury4 7,k7 ,the ,office of the ,comptroller of the ,currency4 7,l7 ,the ,general ,services ,administration4 7,m7 ,any other appropriate ,federal agency1 as determined by the goal leaders4 7c7 ,federal ,scams ,action ,plan ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,scams ,steering ,committee shall develop a ,federal ,scams ,action ,plan that-- 7#a7 may use the expertise of relevant ,federal departments1 such as the ,federal ,bureau of ,investigation1 as well as any prior work completed toward cross-agency collaboration by relevant ,federal departments with respect to scams prevention1 education1 reporting1 assistance1 and enforcement2 and 7#b7 shall include-- 7,a7 the information required under section #aabb7;c7 of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code2 7,b7 a uniform1 government-wide definition of scams that includes1 at minimum1 fraudulent activity involving the use of deception or manipulation intended to achieve financial gain1 regardless of whether any related payment or transaction is authorized or unauthorized2 7,c7 a related classification standard for scam types2 7,d7 an initial baseline estimate of-- 7i7 the number and types of scams affecting the people of the ,united ,states2 and 7ii7 the financial costs associated with such scams2 7,e7 an ambitious #d-year target for reducing the number and cost of scams2 7,f7 strategies and activities for the prevention and thwarting of scams1 including scams education programs for the public and for private industry and investigation into scams and scam-related activity2 and 7,g7 strategies and activities for holding scam perpetrators accountable and supporting scam victims1 including civil and criminal enforcement actions relating to scams and assistance and guidance for victims of scams4 7d7 ,website 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,scams ,steering ,committee shall establish a secure1 centralized1 publicly accessible website focused on scam prevention1 reporting1 and assistance that is easily recognizable and accessible1 with the domain name reportscams4gov1 which shall serve as the ,federal ,government's primary and centralized public-facing website relating to scams prevention1 reporting1 and assistance1 through which the people of the ,united ,states can-- 7,a7 access ,federal ,government resources relating to scams education and prevention2 7,b7 access resources relating to assistance for victims of scams2 and 7,c7 report scams4 7#b7 ,information ,the website described in paragraph 7#a7 shall contain1 at a minimum1 the following3 7,a7 ,published resources on scam prevention1 including the following3 7i7 ,specific scam awareness information ,information updated not less frequently than once every #ij days on recent trends in scams1 as well as specific scams1 to be aware of4 7ii7 ,scam education ,information and best practices aimed specifically at the public1 including individual consumers1 on how to be better aware of scams1 how to recognize scams1 how to avoid scams1 and how to prevent personal financial loss associated with scams4 7iii7 ,immediate ,actions to prevent scams and reduce vulnerabilities ,information on how members of the public1 when receiving suspicious outreach 7such as phone calls and messages1 emails1 and letters7-- 7,i7 should take immediate steps to prevent falling victim to a scam1 including how best to immediately cease interaction with potential scammers2 and 7,,ii7 can identify potential vulnerabilities that may result from their interaction with a potential scammer1 including potential financial vulnerabilities that may result from the interaction4 7,b7 ,information on government impersonation scams1 including spoofing scams1 including the following3 7i7 ,descriptions and examples of common scams that involve fraudulent outreach from scammers purporting to be acting on behalf of a legitimate ,federal ,government entity4 7ii7 ,an explanation of how these scams can utilize spoofing techniques to impersonate trusted persons1 organizations1 and other entities4 7iii7 ,verified contact information for common agencies that are often impersonated by scammers or associated with known scams-- 7,i7 for the purpose of assisting members of the public who1 after receiving suspicious outreach from a potential scammer1 wish to proactively contact the relevant ,federal agency via the verified contact information to verify the authenticity of any suspicious information or claims made as part of the suspicious outreach2 and 7,,ii7 including a clear statement that this information should only be used to contact the agency1 and not to verify any potential outreach that a member of the public may have received4 7,c7 ,information on non-government entity impersonation scams1 including spoofing scams1 including the following3 7i7 ,descriptions and examples of common scams that involve fraudulent outreach from scammers purporting to be acting on behalf of non-government entities1 such as financial institutions1 charities1 retailers1 and other entities4 7ii7 ,an explanation of how these scams can utilize spoofing techniques to impersonate trusted persons1 organizations1 and other entities4 7iii7 ,as appropriate1 verified contact information for each non-government entity that is often impersonated by scammers or associated with known scams1 if the non-government entity explicitly consents to publicly providing such information-- 7,i7 for the purpose of assisting members of the public who1 after receiving suspicious outreach from a potential scammer1 wish to proactively contact the non-government entity via the verified information to verify the authenticity of any suspicious information or claims made as part of the suspicious outreach2 and 7,,ii7 including a clear statement that this information should only be used to contact the non-government entity1 and not to verify any potential outreach that a member of the public may have received4 7,d7 ,information and resources relating to assistance for members of the public who have fallen victim to scams1 including-- 7i7 resources on immediate and long-term steps to take if an individual suspects they have been scammed1 with an emphasis on-- 7,i7 how to ensure that their assets and personal information are immediately safeguarded2 7,,ii7 any applicable personal actions that can be taken to thwart an ongoing scam2 7,,iii7 how to ensure the long-term safety of their assets and information2 7,,iv7 how to seek financial and law enforcement assistance2 and 7,v7 how to attempt to recoup losses1 as applicable2 and 7ii7 contact information and relevant web links for the following organizations1 so that members of the public may reach out for assistance3 7,i7 ,relevant ,federal law enforcement agencies4 7,,ii7 ,relevant ,state law enforcement1 including ,state ,attorneys ,general and ,state ,police and ,investigative ,services1 subdivided by ,state4 7,,iii7 ,as appropriate and within the ,scams ,steering ,committee's discretion1 relevant local law enforcement agencies4 7,,iv7 ,as appropriate and within the ,scams ,steering ,committee's discretion1 relevant ,state and local assistance agencies1 with an emphasis on financial assistance1 housing assistance1 food assistance1 elder assistance1 and other forms of assistance4 7,v7 ,relevant organizations that provide mental health and crisis intervention1 including suicide intervention and support4 7,,vi7 ,the ,national ,elder ,fraud ,hotline4 7,,vii7 ,as appropriate and within the ,scams ,steering ,committee's discretion1 additional organizations that may provide relevant assistance to members of the public4 7#c7 ,reporting portal ,the website described in paragraph 7#a7 shall include a single1 secure1 centralized ,federal ,government portal for scam reporting1 through which members of the public can report scams and potential scams1 that contains features and capabilities to accomplish the following3 7,a7 ,provide members of the public a process to directly and securely submit reports of scams that will be directed to the appropriate authorities for criminal law enforcement purposes1 civil enforcement reporting purposes1 and general tracking of scams for ,federal ,government purposes4 7,b7 ,receive reports under subparagraph 7,a7 and ensure the reports are securely and expeditiously routed directly to-- 7i7 the appropriate ,federal agencies for oversight1 reporting1 investigation1 criminal law enforcement1 and civil enforcement purposes2 and 7ii7 the appropriate ,state ,police ,agency1 or equivalent ,state-level law enforcement agency1 for the jurisdiction in which the reporting individual resides4 ,if no such agency exists in the jurisdiction in which the reporting individual resides1 then the portal shall route the report to the most appropriate law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over criminal investigations4 7,c7 ,with respect to reports routed under subsection 7,b71 provide to the applicable ,federal and ,state agencies-- 7i7 all information that was submitted with the report2 7ii7 the name and contact information of the reporter2 7iii7 the unique identifier under subparagraph 7,d77iii72 7iv7 a request that the agency expeditiously reach out to the individual submitting the report2 and 7v7 a clear statement that the information being provided in the report should be utilized to support any follow-on interactions between the individual submitting the report and the agency4 7,d7 ,provide a process through which members of the public providing a report under subparagraph 7,a7 shall securely and expeditiously receive-- 7i7 confirmation of receipt of their submission2 7ii7 a copy of their submission2 7iii7 a unique identifier assigned to their submission2 7iv7 a list of what ,federal and ,state agencies the submission has been routed to1 as applicable2 7v7 an estimate of what ,federal agency1 if any1 will reach out regarding their submission and when2 7vi7 an estimate of what ,state law enforcement agency1 if any1 will reach out with respect to their submission2 7vii7 information on how to subsequently follow-up on their submission with the appropriate ,federal agency and ,state agencies2 and 7viii7 a notice that in addition to reaching out to ,federal and ,state law enforcement1 the reporting individual may also contact local law enforcement1 should they choose to do so4 7,e7 ,provide general resources and follow-on steps that members of the public can use following their submission1 including-- 7i7 a referral to the assistance information on the website under paragraph 7#b72 and 7ii7 information on filing a report with local or ,state law enforcement1 separate from the portal1 should they choose to do so4 7e7 ,public awareness campaign ,upon establishment of the website under subsection 7d71 the ,scams ,steering ,committee shall undertake a public awareness campaign communicating the existence of and recommending use of the website4 #d4 ,quarterly reporting and congressional notification 7a7 ,quarterly progress review ,beginning not later than the date of the end of the first calendar-year quarter ending after publication of the ,federal ,scams ,action ,plan1 the ,director shall ensure quarterly progress reviews and updates to the ,federal ,scams ,action ,plan are completed and submitted to ,performance4gov1 in accordance with sections #aaba and #aabb of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code4 7b7 ,publication and submission to ,congress ,upon completion and submission of each quarterly progress review under subsection 7a71 the ,director shall publish on the website established under section #c7;d7 and transmit to the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,oversight and ,government ,reform of the ,house of ,representatives the following3 7#a7 ,an electronic copy of the updated ,federal ,scams ,action ,plan4 7#b7 ,a summary of the quarterly performance review4 #e4 ,annual report 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 and annually thereafter1 the ,scams ,steering ,committee shall publicly publish and submit to ,congress1 including the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,oversight and ,government ,reform of the ,house of ,representatives1 a report that includes the following3 7#a7 ,data related to scams reported to the ,federal ,government over the prior year1 including1 at a minimum1 the number of scams reported1 a breakdown of scams by type1 the financial loss associated 7or estimated7 with scams reported over the prior year1 demographics related to victims and targets of scams1 relevant knowledge gained regarding the perpetrators of scams1 and any criminal or civil enforcement data relating to scams during the #a-year period immediately preceding the date of the report4 7#b7 ,trends related to scams reported during the #a-year period immediately preceding the date of the report4 7#c7 ,a summary of large-scale ,federal ,government investigations related to scams during the #a-year period immediately preceding the date of the report4 7#d7 ,regulatory and legislative recommendations to prevent and address scams4 7#e7 ,additional information and recommendations1 as appropriate4 7b7 ,redacted publication ,the annual report required to be publicly published under subsection 7a7 may be redacted to remove sensitive and classified material4 #f4 ,interagency coordination tools for the ,scams ,steering ,committee 7a7 ,purpose ,the authorities under this section shall serve to facilitate effective cross-agency implementation of the ,scams ,priority ,goal4 7b7 ,interagency ,transfer ,authority 7#a7 ,in general ,notwithstanding section #aecb of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code1 and subject to the limitations in this subsection1 any agency represented on the ,scams ,steering ,committee may transfer to another such agency not more than #aj1jjj1jjj during a fiscal year to support activities necessary to implement the ,scams ,priority ,goal1 including-- 7,a7 interagency coordination and governance2 7,b7 shared analytical1 data1 or technological capabilities2 7,c7 development1 operation1 or improvement of the website under section #c7;d72 and 7,d7 activities outlined in the ,federal ,scams ,action ,plan4 7#b7 ,limitations ,a transfer under paragraph 7#a7 shall be-- 7,a7 subject to the prior approval of the ,director of the ,office of ,management and ,budget2 7,b7 made only from funds available for the same purpose for which the receiving agency will use the funds2 7,c7 treated as an intra-governmental reimbursable transaction1 and merged with the receiving appropriation2 and 7,d7 reported to the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,house of ,representatives not later than #cj days after execution4 7#c7 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this subsection shall be construed to authorize any transfer of funds between appropriations that is barred by any other provision of law4 7c7 ,expedited ,direct ,hire ,authority 7#a7 ,in general ,the head of any agency represented on the ,scams ,steering ,committee may use direct-hire authority1 in accordance with section #ccjd of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 to appoint employees to positions necessary to carry out the duties and responsibilities of the ,steering ,committee1 including-- 7,a7 data analysis1 cybersecurity1 financial crime analysis1 user experience design1 and fraud detection specialists2 7,b7 program and project management personnel2 and 7,c7 other positions the ,director determines are critical to implementing the ,federal ,scams ,action ,plan4 7#b7 ,limitations ,the direct-hire authority under paragraph 7#a7 shall-- 7,a7 terminate on the date that is #e years after the date of enactment of this ,act2 7,b7 be available only for positions at or below the ,,gs-#ae level of the ,general ,schedule under subchapter ,,iii of chapter #ec of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code2 and 7,c7 be exercised in accordance with all applicable provisions of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 unless otherwise provided in this ,act4 #g4 ,,gao reports on implementation 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #b years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 and #b years thereafter1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall conduct a review of ,federal efforts to implement the ,scams ,priority ,goal and submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report described in subsection 7b74 7b7 ,report contents ,each report submitted under subsection 7a7 shall include an assessment of-- 7#a7 the extent to which the ,office of ,management and ,budget and ,federal agencies represented on the ,scams ,steering ,committee have implemented the requirements under sections #aabj and #aabb of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code1 including-- 7,a7 the establishment of the ,scams ,priority ,goal2 7,b7 designation of goal leaders2 7,c7 formation and operation of the ,scams ,steering ,committee2 and 7,d7 publication of the ,federal ,scams ,action ,plan and related quarterly updates on ,performance4gov2 7#b7 the effectiveness of the ,scams ,steering ,committee in improving interagency coordination and collaboration1 including the development of shared priorities1 data standards1 and coordinated actions2 7#c7 the development1 operation1 usability1 and performance of the website under section #c7;d72 7#d7 progress made toward meeting the #d-year target established in the ,federal ,scams ,action ,plan for reducing the number and cost of scams1 including an assessment of the reliability and sufficiency of supporting data2 7#e7 challenges1 barriers1 or inefficiencies impeding implementation of the ,scams ,priority ,goal2 and 7#f7 recommendations the ,comptroller ,general determines appropriate to improve interagency coordination1 public transparency1 performance measurement1 or overall effectiveness of scam prevention and response efforts4