Drew Dixon
U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody is part of a growing contingent of lawmakers in Washington who are demanding U.S. officials work to stem international finance scams targeted at seniors.
Moody, a member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, signed onto a letter that the panel drafted and sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secret Service Director Sean Curran demanding more coordinated efforts to bust up foreign networks organizing the international scams.
The communique is bipartisan, with Republicans like Moody and U.S. Sen. Rick Scott joining Democrats such as U.S. Sens. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York.
“We write to express concern over the increasing prevalence of financial scams targeting older Americans that originate abroad,” stated the letter, dated July 18. “Fraud schemes targeting seniors cost victims over $3.4 billion annually, robbing them of their life savings and security. These scams often involve international perpetrators and require a coordinated federal response to effectively prevent further harm.”
The three-page memo requests enhanced investigations, increased partnerships with foreign law enforcement agencies, additional public awareness campaigns, improved interagency coordination and more transparency and reporting to Congress.
Moody said she specifically targeted fraud and scam operations that sought to victimize seniors in Florida when she was Attorney General before she was appointed to the Senate. She also led an effort to designate March 6, 2025, as National Slam the Scam Day as part of a public awareness effort. That involved a Senate resolution marking the day.
“Fighting for seniors in Florida over the past six years, we recovered millions of dollars for victims and stopped schemes targeting older Floridians. … As Florida’s newest Senator, I enthusiastically volunteered to continue this important work through the Senate Aging Committee. We must empower seniors to fight back against bad actors,” Moody said in March.
Scott, who is Chair of the Special Committee on Aging, said in March that the nation needs to remain vigilant about the scams.
“Too often, older Americans are targeted and victimized by government imposter scams, costing billions of dollars each year. In partnership with the Social Security Administration and other organizations, we are committed to equipping the public with the tools and education needed to stay safe and fight back against these crimes,” Scott said.
