H.R. 9412: Stop Scamming Americans Act

This bill would add a new training option for certain U.S. diplomatic personnel who are assigned to countries that the Secretary of State determines have significant online scam activity targeting Americans.

What the training would cover

The Secretary of State would be allowed to create training for:

• chiefs of mission,
• deputy chiefs of mission, and
• Foreign Service officers

if they are going to be posted in a country linked to major online scam activity aimed at Americans.

The training would be intended to help these officials understand and respond to scams connected to:

• transnational criminal organizations involved in the fraud,
• online scam centers and human trafficking inside those centers, and
• possible foreign government involvement, including corruption or complicity.

How the training would be used

The bill says the training should also help diplomats identify diplomatic ways to:

• spot these scam networks,
• help prevent them, and
• respond to them through diplomatic channels.

In practical terms, the bill would not directly create new criminal penalties or require internet companies to change their practices. Instead, it would give the State Department authority to prepare U.S. diplomats to better understand and address scam operations in countries where Americans are being targeted.

Relevant Companies

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