Here's what Utah, federal lawmakers are doing to crack down on online fraud

SALT LAKE CITY — Congress is looking at ways to crack down on retail fraud and online scams, after a federal report found that internet scams cost Americans more than $20 billion last year.

Rep. Celeste Maloy, R-Utah, met with business leaders in Salt Lake City on Friday to discuss ways to combat fraud, and told reporters after that Congress should make it easier for law enforcement agencies to share information across state lines. She said details are still being worked out on a bill that would provide more federal resources to investigate fraud, particularly fraud perpetrated against older Americans.

"If you don't know anyone who's been a victim of elder fraud, you probably need to call your elderly relatives and talk to them," the congresswoman said. "I know I have several friends who have stories of their parents who are sophisticated, educated people who have fallen for someone calling and saying, 'Hey, your credit card's been compromised. Will you give us your credit card number so we can start investigating it?'"

Although it's "one of the oldest tricks in the book," the adrenaline rush that comes with being told of an account breach or that a loved one is in danger can make people rush to hand over information they think might help, according to Maloy.

"We're trying to make sure that people have the tools they need to recognize a scam before they wire money or buy a bunch of gift cards or before they give someone their bank account number," she said. "It's relentless. It happens all the time."

New technologies like cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence have become factors in some of the costliest types of cybercrimes. Americans who submitted complaints to the Internet Crime Complaint Center in 2025 lost more than $11 billion in scams involving cryptocurrency, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The FBI's 2025 Internet Crime Report also counted nearly $900 million lost to artificial intelligence scams. Scammers have used fake social media profiles, voice clones, fake identification documents and "believable videos depicting public figures or loved ones," according to the agency.

Utah lawmakers passed a law earlier this year to crack down on online scams by requiring scam warnings and putting limits on certain transactions on cryptocurrency kiosks, which allow users to easily convert large amounts of cash into cryptocurrency, which is exchanged in anonymous online transactions and cannot be reversed, unlike some bank transfers.

Those transfer caps and fraud warnings are meant to serve as checks to help people think through transactions, given that many scammers try to prey on individuals' emotions and get them to make rash decisions.

"Most of these frauds are based on an emotional reaction," Maloy said. "And so my first piece of advice should be sleep on it. ... Don't do anything out of an emotional reaction. Take a deep breath. Call somebody else. If your grandchild got kidnapped in Mexico, you probably have at least an hour to talk to other people and figure it out. Don't just give someone your credit card."

If callers claim to be from your bank or another institution, hang up and call the institution at the number listed on its website or on the back of your debit or credit card to see if there really is an issue. Most banks won't call and ask you for personal information or card numbers.

It's also important to talk in advance with loved ones about the potential for fraud, and what to do about it.

"It's something that's happening to all of us," said Tom Wickham, vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "Making sure that education is the first step ... then being empathetic that this is not something that's reserved for someone who may not have all their faculties or is in some different situation. It's happening to everyone."

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