H.R. 5490: Dismantle Foreign Scam Syndicates Act
Sponsor
Jefferson Shreve
Republican · IN-6
Congress targets scam compounds stealing your savings
Why it matters
The bill's findings cite at least $10 billion stolen from Americans in 2024 alone — up 33% in a single year. H.R. 5490 would launch a fast-moving federal crackdown on overseas scam networks and put $60 million toward victim support.
The bill's findings cite at least $10 billion stolen from Americans in 2024, with many cases likely never reported. It describes "pig butchering" scams as long-game online manipulation: someone earns your trust, gets you to send bigger and bigger amounts, then disappears with the money.
H.R. 5490 would create a federal task force within 30 days to coordinate State, Justice, Homeland Security, Treasury, and other agencies. That group would have 180 days to produce a national strategy, consult regularly with state and local law enforcement, and work with banks, dating apps, social platforms, telecom companies, crypto exchanges, app stores, and search companies.
The bill also pushes the White House to decide within 180 days whether to sanction 47 named individuals and 17 named organizations under existing sanctions and trafficking authorities. It also says people forced to work in scam compounds as trafficking victims cannot be sanctioned as if they were the masterminds.
Oversight is a major part of the design. Public reports to Congress would track how much money was stolen, intercepted, or returned, how many trafficking victims were identified, where scam centers are operating, and how the networks are spreading.
H.R. 5490 also authorizes $30 million a year for two years — $60 million total — for shelter, trauma care, reintegration, and other help for victims.
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Dec 3, 2025
Committee approved bill for floor consideration in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 48 - 0.
H.R. 5490 Bill Summary
What H.R. 5490 actually does.
Federal crackdown starts within 30 days
H.R. 5490 requires the President to create an interagency task force within 30 days of enactment. It would be led by the State Department and include Justice, Homeland Security, Treasury, the FBI, Secret Service, Homeland Security Investigations, OFAC, and FinCEN.
A national anti-scam strategy arrives in 180 days
The task force must produce a government-wide strategy within 180 days to shut down scam centers, disrupt the criminal networks behind them, and pressure foreign actors the bill says enable these operations.
Banks, dating apps, and crypto firms get pulled in
The task force must consult with state and local law enforcement and build partnerships with private companies including banks, social media platforms, dating apps, telecom carriers, crypto exchanges, internet providers, app stores, and search companies.
47 people and 17 organizations face sanctions review
Within 180 days, the President must determine whether 47 named individuals and 17 named organizations should be sanctioned under existing human rights, trafficking, and transnational crime authorities.
Trafficked workers are treated as victims, not ringleaders
The bill explicitly says victims of human trafficking cannot be designated as sanctioned foreign persons. That reflects the bill's findings that many scam compounds rely on forced labor.
$60 million is set aside for victim support
H.R. 5490 authorizes $30 million in fiscal year 2026 and another $30 million in fiscal year 2027 for trauma-informed care, shelter, reintegration, and related services that can also help gather evidence for prosecutions.
Who benefits from H.R. 5490?
Americans targeted by online investment and romance scams
If you or your family are exposed to these schemes, the bill aims to make recovery and disruption more coordinated. The bill's findings cite at least $10 billion in American losses in 2024 alone.
Trafficking victims forced to work inside scam compounds
The bill's findings say these operations use the forced labor of hundreds of thousands of trafficking victims. H.R. 5490 treats those people as victims and authorizes money for shelter, trauma care, and reintegration.
State and local investigators chasing cross-border scams
Police, prosecutors, and investigators on the ground would get regular access to a federal task force that must consult with them quarterly on scam reporting, crypto recovery, and enforcement trends.
Families trying to understand where stolen money went
Required public reports would give a clearer picture of how much was stolen, how much was intercepted or returned, and where these scam networks are operating.
Who is affected by H.R. 5490?
Foreign scam bosses, facilitators, and front companies
They could face sanctions, more financial scrutiny, and coordinated U.S. pressure. H.R. 5490 specifically requires review of 47 individuals and 17 organizations.
Federal agencies handling fraud, trafficking, and financial crime
Multiple agencies would take on new coordination, strategy, and reporting duties, with tight deadlines starting 30 days after enactment.
Banks, crypto exchanges, dating apps, and social platforms
These companies would be expected to share expertise and help disrupt the infrastructure scammers use to find victims, move money, and keep operations running.
The White House and U.S. foreign policy team
They would have to make sanctions decisions quickly and decide how aggressively to pressure governments and actors the bill argues are tied to these scam networks.
Cost & Funding
Authorization
$30 million a year for FY2026 and FY2027
- That is $60 million total over two years for victim support programs.
- Compared with the bill's cited $10 billion in American losses in 2024, the authorized support equals about 0.6% of one year's reported losses.
- Funds can be used for trauma-informed care, shelter, reintegration, and related services that help prevent revictimization and support investigations.
HR5490 Legislative Journey
House: Vote: 48-0
Dec 3, 2025
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 48 - 0.
House: Committee Action
Sep 18, 2025
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
About the Sponsor
Jefferson Shreve
Republican, Indiana's 6th congressional district · 1 years in Congress
Committees: Appropriations
View full profile →
Cosponsors (68)
This bill has 68 cosponsors: 29 Democrats, 39 Republicans, reflecting bipartisan support. Cosponsors represent 25 states: California, District of Columbia, Delaware, and 22 more.
John Moolenaar
Republican · MI
Michael Rulli
Republican · OH
Bill Huizenga
Republican · MI
Thomas Suozzi
Democrat · NY
Rudy Yakym
Republican · IN
Addison McDowell
Republican · NC
James Moylan
Republican · GU
Josh Gottheimer
Democrat · NJ
Eugene Vindman
Democrat · VA
Josh Riley
Democrat · NY
Michael Lawler
Republican · NY
Christopher Smith
Republican · NJ
Committee Sponsors
Foreign Affairs Committee
20 of 53 committee members cosponsored
Judiciary Committee
5 of 44 committee members cosponsored
36 Republicans across these committees haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
H.R. 5490 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Foreign Affairs
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- International Affairs
- Introduced
- Sep 18, 2025
Committee approved bill for floor consideration in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 48 - 0.
Dec 3, 2025
Official Sources
Official bill page with status, text, actions, and committee information for the Dismantle Foreign Scam Syndicates Act.
FinCEN is specifically named in the bill as part of the interagency task force handling financial crime and suspicious transaction issues.
OFAC administers U.S. sanctions programs and is directly relevant to the bill's required sanctions review of named individuals and organizations.
The bill treats forced workers in scam compounds as trafficking victims, and this State Department office is explicitly included in the task force structure.
FTC consumer guidance explains relationship-based online scams similar to the long-con manipulation described in the bill's findings.
This State Department bureau is named in the bill as part of the task force and is relevant to international law enforcement coordination against transnational criminal syndicates.
H.R. 5490 Common Questions
What does H.R. 5490 do?
H.R. 5490 creates a federal task force to target overseas scam syndicates, requires a strategy within 180 days, and starts sanctions review for 47 people and 17 organizations.
How much money does the bill say Americans lost to these scams?
The bill's findings cite at least $10 billion in U.S. losses in 2024 alone, with losses up 33% from the year before. It also says many cases likely go unreported.
What is a pig butchering scam?
It's a long con. The bill describes it as scammers building an online relationship, gaining your trust, then pushing you to send larger and larger amounts into fake investment platforms.
Which countries does H.R. 5490 focus on?
The bill's findings say scam centers are most prevalent in Burma, Laos, and Cambodia, though the task force could also address networks operating elsewhere.
Would trafficking victims inside scam compounds be sanctioned?
No. H.R. 5490 says victims of trafficking cannot be listed as sanctioned foreign persons, separating coerced workers from the people running the operations.
How much victim support funding is in H.R. 5490?
The bill authorizes $30 million in fiscal year 2026 and $30 million in fiscal year 2027 — $60 million total — for shelter, trauma care, reintegration, and related services.
Does the bill only go after scammers, or also the companies they use?
It goes beyond individual scammers. H.R. 5490 tells the task force to work with banks, social platforms, dating apps, telecom firms, crypto exchanges, app stores, and search companies.
What is the bill's status right now?
H.R. 5490 was ordered reported by committee on a 48-0 vote. The next hurdle is getting House leadership to schedule it for a floor vote, then moving it through the Senate.
Based on H.R. 5490 bill text
H.R. 5490 Bill Text
“To establish an interagency Task Force to dismantle and shut down transnational criminal syndicates perpetuating mass online scam operations against Americans.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
Get notified when H.R. 5490 moves
Committee votes, floor action, cosponsor changes — straight to your inbox.
Bill alerts + Legisletter's monthly briefing. Unsubscribe anytime.
International Affairs Bills
9 related bills we're tracking
Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025
Motion to place bill on Consensus Calendar filed by Mr. Lawler.
Jan 12, 2026
United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025
Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Feb 12, 2025
West Bank Violence Prevention Act of 2025
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Apr 28, 2025
Global Respect Act
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Nov 19, 2025
Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Financial Services, Ways and Means, and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Apr 1, 2025
International Human Rights Defense Act of 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Nov 17, 2025
Global Health, Empowerment and Rights Act
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Jan 28, 2025
Pakistan Freedom and Accountability Act
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Sep 10, 2025
Baltic Security Assessment Act of 2025
Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 41 - 3.
Apr 22, 2026
Trending Right Now
Bills gaining momentum across Congress
Great American Outdoors Act 250
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Jun 24, 2026
Fit to Serve Act
Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
May 21, 2025
Humane Cosmetics Act of 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Feb 27, 2025
Tracking International Affairs in Congress? Monitor bills, track cosponsor momentum, and launch advocacy campaigns — all from one advocacy platform.