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Congress Moves Forward on AARP-Backed Fraud Protections
The GUARD Act would help equip law enforcement with the tools needed to fight fraud and better protect older Americans
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Key takeaways
- The bipartisan GUARD Act passed in the House and would fund training, fraud experts and technology for state and local law enforcement.
- The legislation aims to help agencies investigate increasingly complex scams involving technologies such as artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency.
- AARP has advocated for the GUARD Act as reported fraud losses among Americans age 60 and older continue to rise sharply.
Legislation that would fund new resources for state and local law enforcement to combat fraud is moving ahead after the U.S. House of Representatives passed it on Sept. 15.
The bipartisan Guarding Unprotected Aging Retirees from Deception (GUARD) Act would direct federal funds to state, local and tribal authorities to train staff, hire fraud experts and secure specialized software to better detect and combat scams that can have devastating financial impacts on older adults.
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Police officers often face obstacles trying to help victims of fraud recover their stolen assets. The sheer volume of cases can be overwhelming, and a lack of specialized training and tools can make investigating crimes involving burgeoning technologies, such as artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency, more challenging.
On Sept. 15, the GUARD Act took a leap forward toward becoming law: It passed the House by a vote of 414-7. The bill now heads to the Senate, where it already passed unanimously out of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary earlier this year.
AARP has spent more than two years gathering support for this bill. The GUARD Act picked up 22 new cosponsors across both parties following AARP’s Lobby Day in April, where it was a priority as AARP lobbyists fanned out across Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress.
“As criminals use more sophisticated tools to steal money from Americans, it’s critical that we give our police and law enforcement the training, tools and resources they need to put those criminals behind bars,” says Bill Sweeney, AARP senior vice president for government affairs.
Fraud targeting older Americans is surging
Incidents of criminals defrauding older Americans are skyrocketing because of advancing technologies and highly sophisticated schemes. While Americans 60 and older reported losing $7.7 billion to fraud in 2025, according to the FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Report — a 59 percent increase in fraud losses in that age group since 2024 — that figure is likely a severe undercount because fraud usually goes unreported. Actual losses in 2024 were closer to $81.5 billion, the Federal Trade Commission estimates.
“The GUARD Act is one of our top legislative priorities this year as fraud cases have exploded all across the country,” Sweeney says. “We now urge the Senate to take this up and send it to the president’s desk before the end of the year.”
The bipartisan bill is sponsored by U.S. Reps. Zach Nunn (R-Iowa) and Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Sens. Katie Britt (R-AL) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). Nunn has applauded AARP’s critical role in helping get the bill introduced in Congress in April 2025.
“I will be clear: This would not have happened alone,” Nunn told AARP Iowa State Director Michael Wagler during a 2025 press conference. “Thank you, AARP, for your steadfast support and championship of the GUARD Act.”
Police lack resources as finance scams skyrocket
State and local law enforcement are often constrained when trying to help fraud victims, whether that’s because their officers are swamped with cases or they lack the resources they need to investigate financial crimes.
Join Our Fight Against Fraud
Here’s what you can do to help protect people 50 and older from scams and fraud:
- Tell lawmakers to stop criminals from using crypto kiosks to steal from us.
- Sign up to become a digital fraud fighter to help raise awareness about the latest scams.
- Read more about how we’re protecting older Americans from scams and fraud and fighting for you in Congress and across the country.
- AARP is your fierce defender on the issues that matter to people 50-plus. Become a member or renew your membership today.
AARP hears from many of these fraud victims through the AARP Fraud Victim Support Group and Fraud Watch Network Helpline, which receives approximately 100,000 calls a year.
GUARD Act grantees would be law enforcement agencies “investigating elder financial fraud, pig butchering and general financial fraud,” according to the bill. The term “pig butchering” refers to a type of scam in which criminals gradually build a trusting relationship with their victims online before exploiting them financially, often through fake cryptocurrency investments or other fraudulent schemes.
Law enforcement agencies would be permitted to spend their funds on hiring and retaining expert personnel, providing training specific to complex financial investigations, obtaining software and technical tools or developing better data collection and collaboration with other law enforcement agencies. The GUARD Act would allow federal agencies to give grantees access to sophisticated federal tracing tools for blockchain and related technologies. Law enforcement agencies receiving grants would be required to report their findings and results to the federal government within a year of using the money.
“The GUARD Act provides 21st-century solutions to an ever-evolving problem,” Nunn said during the 2025 press conference. “We’re empowering our local law enforcement to do the things necessary to help protect our communities.”
Fighting fraud is an AARP priority
Support for the GUARD Act is just one of the ways AARP works to protect older adults from fraud and scams across the country.
For example, AARP has been a strong advocate for the Tax Relief for Fraud Victims Act, which would restore and expand tax relief for victims of fraud and theft. It also passed the House on Sept. 15.
At the state level, AARP is pushing for stronger regulations on cryptocurrency ATMs, which criminals increasingly use to commit fraud. We have worked with lawmakers in more than 30 states to introduce legislation that would create protections, such as daily transaction limits, state operator license requirements, refund options for losses due to fraud and others.
AARP offers a wealth of resources to help older adults protect themselves. To stay ahead of the latest tactics, visit our Fraud Resource Center, listen to our podcast The Perfect Scam and use our scam-tracking map to find or report scams where you live. If you’ve been targeted, call our Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360 for support.
The key takeaways were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.
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