Bill
HR 7215
Establish a governmentwide, coordinated strategy to counter scams with standardized definitions, unified data collection, and annual public estimates of scam losses and affected co
Purpose
- Establishes a governmentwide effort to counter scams by coordinating with key federal agencies to develop strategies, standardize definitions, and improve data collection and measurement of scam activity and losses.
Main objective
- Create a unified approach across federal agencies to prevent, detect, and respond to scams, including cyberfraud and related manipulations.
Key Provisions and Changes
1) Governmentwide Strategy and Definitions
- Within 1 year of enactment, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), in coordination with the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (BCFP) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and any other agency the Director designates, must:
- Develop and implement a governmentwide strategy to counter scams.
- Adopt a single definition of “scam” and identify various scam types.
- Explore harmonizing data collection to better identify scams, including consistent data fields such as scam type, dollar losses, payment method, and other relevant data.
2) National Scam Impact Estimates
- Within 2 years of enactment, the agencies must develop a single governmentwide estimate of:
- The number of consumers affected by scams each year (including estimates for unreported incidents).
- The dollar losses resulting from scams.
3) Agency-Specific Reporting and Metrics
- FBI: Within 1 year, estimate the number of scam-related complaints received annually and the associated dollar losses; establish metrics and a plan to measure the effectiveness of anti-scam training (in-person events and webinars).
- Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (BCFP): Within 1 year, provide a similar estimate of scam-related complaints and losses; establish metrics and a plan to measure anti-scam training effectiveness (in-person events and webinars).
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Within 1 year, provide a similar estimate of scam-related complaints and losses; establish metrics and a plan to measure anti-scam training effectiveness (in-person events and webinars).
4) Public Reporting
- The Director (FBI), the Bureau, and the Commission must publicly disclose, in annual reports on scams, their respective estimates of scam-related complaints and losses.
Definitions (as used in the bill)
- Agency: As defined in 5 U.S.C. § 551.
- Bureau: Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.
- Commission: Federal Trade Commission.
- Director: Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Sponsorship and Procedural Details
- Introduced January 22, 2026, by Representative Harder (with co-sponsors including Brian Fitzpatrick and Jeff Van Drew).
- Referred to the Judiciary Committee and, for consideration of provisions within their jurisdiction, to the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Financial Services Committee.
- The bill sets a framework for interagency coordination but does not itself create new programs or funding beyond requiring reporting, data standardization, and a coordinated strategy plan.
Potential Impact
Note: The bill emphasizes coordination and measurement rather than creating new enforcement powers or funding, at least as described in the provided text.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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