Landry Leads Push Against Senior Scam Epidemic

BATON ROUGE, LA — Senior citizens are under siege. Across Louisiana and nationwide, fraudsters are exploiting the elderly at an alarming rate, with one in ten Americans over 65 falling victim to scams annually, according to data cited by Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry. From fake Social Security calls to romance scams and tech support fraud, the tactics are relentless and evolving — and Landry is demanding federal action.

Landry and 46 other state attorneys general — a rare bipartisan coalition — have sent a direct warning to Congress: pass the Fraud and Scam Reduction Act now. The legislation, which bundles the Stop Senior Scam Act and the Seniors Fraud Prevention Act of 2021, aims to dismantle the infrastructure that allows scammers to operate with near impunity. The group addressed Senate leaders Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, and the Commerce Committee, stressing that government and industry must act in unison to stop the bleeding.

The proposed law would create the Senior Scams Prevention Advisory Group, accountable to the Federal Trade Commission, and composed of stakeholders from retail, banking, and wire-transfer firms. Their mission: train employees to spot red flags when seniors attempt suspicious transactions. Too often, cashiers and bank tellers watch helplessly as victims hand over life savings — the new group would give them clear protocols to intervene.

Additionally, the act establishes the Office for the Prevention of Fraud Targeting Seniors within the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. This office would serve as a national nerve center, tracking emerging scams via robocalls, mail, and online schemes. It would also broadcast warnings to the public and streamline reporting through the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network and a national fraud hotline.

“Research shows that Americans aged 65 and older are the prime targets of scams and receive more mail and telephone solicitations than any other age group,” Landry said. “With tactics used by fraudsters constantly evolving, we too must evolve our efforts to protect and educate seniors on the various schemes being used.” He emphasized that elder fraud is not a partisan issue — it’s a predator issue.

Joining Landry in the letter are attorneys general from all regions of the country — Florida, New York, California, Texas, Illinois, and 42 others, including territories like Puerto Rico and Guam. The unified front underscores the national scale of the crisis. As scam losses top billions yearly, Landry’s message is clear: protect the vulnerable, punish the fraudsters, and pass the damn law.