WASHINGTON — U.S. Florida Republican Sen. Ashley Moody on Monday introduced legislation aimed at helping law enforcement agencies better investigate and prosecute scams targeting older Americans, citing the growing financial toll such crimes take on senior citizens.
The proposed Strengthening Task Forces to Oppose Predatory Scams Against Seniors Act, known as the STOP Scams Against Seniors Act, would allow states and localities to use federal funding through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program to establish elder justice task forces focused on fraud investigations and prosecutions.
“Scammers who prey on seniors are stealing more than their hard-earned money; they take away their sense of security and peace of mind,” Moody said. “The STOP Scams Against Seniors Act will equip law enforcement with the tools and expertise needed to thwart these criminals and help ensure that every senior can enjoy the retirement they worked a lifetime to earn.”
The legislation would authorize the creation of specialized task forces designed to improve coordination among local, state, and federal agencies investigating financial crimes against older adults.
Moody pointed to efforts she launched while serving as Florida attorney general, including the creation of the Cyber Fraud Enforcement Unit in 2023. According to her office, the unit froze more than $17 million linked to cryptocurrency scams and handled dozens of active cryptocurrency seizure cases involving senior victims.
Her office also cited investigations conducted through Florida’s Office of Statewide Prosecution. When Moody left the attorney general’s office earlier this year, prosecutors had more than 100 active investigations involving alleged fraud schemes targeting hundreds of elderly victims, according to figures provided by her office.
Moody also established a Senior Protection Team that brought together prosecutors, consumer protection attorneys, Medicaid fraud investigators, and specially designated agents from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The initiative recovered more than $9 million for Florida seniors, her office said.
The bill has received endorsements from organizations including AARP, the Aspen Institute Financial Security Program, the Financial Technology Association, the National Crime Prevention Council, the National White Collar Crime Center, and the Stop Scams Alliance.
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