Anti-Fraud Leaders Call for Unified Strategy to Combat Scams that Cost Americans $158 Billion Last Year

A task force of over 80 leaders from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors is pushing for a coordinated, government-wide approach to fight the growing scourge of scams, which cost Americans over $158 billion last year. The recommendations include applying pressure to foreign countries that look the other way while their citizens steal Americans’ hard-earned savings.

Axios reports that the Aspen Institute’s National Task Force on Fraud and Scam Prevention, comprised of nearly 80 members including major tech companies, telecom providers, and federal law enforcement agencies, has developed a comprehensive 116-page strategy to combat scams. In a letter to Congress, the task force urged policymakers to prioritize this issue, warning that advancements in AI tools will make it even easier for scammers to deceive more victims in the future.

“This is a different kind of crime, and we can’t do it alone,” said Kate Griffin, director of inclusive financial system at the Aspen Institute Financial Security Program. The task force’s recommendations span a wide range of actions, from modernizing law enforcement databases and enacting liability protections for information sharing, to applying diplomatic pressure on foreign governments not taking scam activity seriously. They also propose exploring the creation of a U.S. National Anti-Scam Center and encouraging the private sector to develop consumer-facing anti-scam technologies.

Kathy Stokes, director of fraud prevention and programs at AARP, emphasized the need for coordination in fighting scams. “We coordinate much worse than the criminals do,” she noted. For years, the focus has been on educating the public to spot scams, but Stokes argues this alone is insufficient. “We cannot educate our way out of the fraud crisis,” she said.

Several task force members have already initiated programs in line with the strategy’s recommendations. AARP launched a Fraud Watch Network helpline this year to assist scam victims and connect them with law enforcement. Visa created its own internal scam detection practice to proactively identify and take down scams on its payment networks and beyond.

With current government officials already part of the task force, the Aspen Institute plans to leverage its convening power to bring together leaders across sectors to implement the blueprint. “We’re here to keep creating the spaces where those leaders can come together to turn that blueprint into action,” Griffin said.