Eli Crane Questions Experts on Preventing Online Scams

Representative Eli Crane (R-AZ) questioned experts on preventing scams and fraud during a recent House Homeland Security Committee hearing, describing how a constituent fell victim to one and asking what can be done so average Americans do not fall for these schemes.

Rep. Crane recounted a story of a constituent who believed he was buying used farm equipment through a fraudulent advertisement on Fox News's website. While Rep. Crane was able to assist the man and help him recover the money through federal law enforcement and the victim's bank, he asked the hearing witnesses, "What would you guys advise Average Joe American to do? What operating procedures would you have them look at and avoid even getting involved in these scams?"

Halcyon Ransomware Research Center's Senior Vice President Cynthia Kaiser commented that during her tenure at the FBI, she ran the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) to remind Americans that they are not alone in dealing with being scammed, and that they should contact local law enforcement, the FBI, the IC3, and their bank.

However, Rep. Crane clarified the question, asking, "How do they avoid getting attacked in the first place? How do they notice or have their spidey-senses go off that, 'hey, this does not exactly feel right?'"

Kaiser said that scammers frequently place victims under urgent pressure to act quickly without thinking, and thus the best thing to do is "take a beat, take a step, call someone, your family, contact and identify ways in which you can verify that company."

TRM Labs' Global Head of Policy Ari Redbord further suggested that "we need a massive public service campaign at the federal level, across all of these different jurisdictions."

The Arizona congressman turned to USTelecom's Senior Vice President of Policy Joshua Bercu and the Institute for Security and Technology's Chief Strategy Officer Megan Stifel, asking if they had additional input.

Bercu suggested that more could be done to help remind Americans that anyone can be victimized, in addition to what Kaiser and Redbord said, and that more Americans should take advantage of existing anti-scam technology, such as call labeling.