Text message scams are skyrocketing, and the federal government is finally starting to do something about it. As a former Attorney General for Virginia, I can tell you that when scammers are working outside of a local area, nationally or internationally, in this case, state and local officials don’t have the jurisdiction to do anything about the problem. I’m not someone who seeks out new tasks for the federal government, but protection of our people is the government’s most basic responsibility.
A bipartisan bill introduced by Sens. Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Mark Warner (D-VA) would create a new Task Force for Recognizing and Averting Payment Scams, or the TRAPS Act. The goal is to bring law enforcement, regulators, and private industry together to coordinate a crackdown on scam operations fleecing Americans out of billions each year.
