Washington, DC – Congressman Bryan Steil (WI-01) and Representatives Josh Harder (CA-09) and Dan Meuser (PA-09) this week introduced a resolution to designate May 8th as National Scam Survivor Day.
“Last year, 2.6 million Americans lost more than $12.5 billion to scams,” said Steil. “I commend each American who has spoken out to raise awareness after falling victim to scams. We must continue to share our experiences to prevent common scams and block new ones as they arise. I will continue working to prevent others from falling victim to scams.”
The National Scam Survivor Day resolution encourages scam survivors to tell their stories to combat the stigma that may prevent individuals from seeking the guidance and assistance they deserve. Additionally, the legislation urges a collaborative approach to support scam survivors and prevent future scams among government, the private sector, and nonprofit organizations.
“Criminals are getting better and better at scamming our families, especially our seniors, out of their hard-earned money. It’s completely unacceptable and has to be stopped,” said Harder. “By creating a National Scam Survivor Day, we can remove the stigma around falling victim to scams and help hold these criminals accountable.”
Meuser said, “Scammers stole over $12 billion from hardworking Americans in 2024 alone—including $400 million from Pennsylvanians—targeting seniors, veterans, and young adults. Financial institutions work tirelessly to educate and protect their customers, but as scams become more sophisticated, so must our response. National Scam Survivor Day is about standing with victims, raising awareness, and demanding stronger action from Congress and law enforcement to stop these criminals and protect families across the country.”
CLICK HERE to read the resolution.
Background:
- Congressman Steil has held five Scam Prevention Workshops in the 1st Congressional District.
- The Federal Trade Commission reported that 2.6 million Americans filed fraud reports in 2024.
- These Americans lost more than $12.5 billion to scams in 2024, an increase of $2.5 billion compared to 2023.
- According to the Better Business Bureau, the average dollar amount lost per scam increased from $100 to $130 between 2023 and 2024.
- Social media scams resulted in $1.9 billion in fraud losses.
- The amount of money lost by veterans to scams increased from $292 million in 2022 to $584 million in 2024.
