# 119-hr-10495: CATFISH Act of 2026

119-hr-10495, CATFISH Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Hamadeh, Abraham J. [R-AZ-8] (R-AZ); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-04).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-10495
- As of: 2026-11-04
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-10495
- Congress: 119
- Title: CATFISH Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-09-17
- Sponsor: Rep. Hamadeh, Abraham J. [R-AZ-8] (R-AZ)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-11-04

## Summary

**Stronger penalties and mandatory bank reporting to stop romance scams targeting people age 60 and older.** This bill would add new criminal penalties for romance fraud against seniors, require banks to flag and report warning signs, and push retailers and agencies to train staff and help victims. - Seniors: The bill would make romance fraud against people age 60 or older carry extra criminal penalties of up to 10 years in prison and up to $1 million in added fines on top of underlying fraud charges. It would also require retailers with 500+ employees to warn and assist seniors who buy large-value gift cards over $500. - Financial institutions: Covered banks, credit unions, and digital-asset providers would have to report account anomalies and behavioral red flags to the Treasury, adopt new controls, train staff, and give seniors clear instructions on how to report suspected fraud. - Agencies and enforcement: The Treasury and banking agencies must issue rules and guidance within 180 days. Covered banking agencies could seek civil penalties up to $50,000 per violation after a one-year delay. The Department of Justice through the FBI must create training programs and the Federal Trade Commission must publish a sample retailer advisory within 180 days.

## Provisions PRIA read

- Higher penalties for romance fraud: benefit, medium. If enacted, people convicted of mail, wire, or bank fraud tied to a romance scam against someone age 60 or older would face higher federal penalties. The bill would add up to 10 more years in prison and up to $1,000,000 in fines on top of penalties for the underlying offense. The enhancement applie…
- Store warnings for big gift-card buys: benefit, low. If enacted, the Attorney General and FBI would train employees at large retailers (500+ full-time workers) to intervene when a senior buys a gift card over $500. Staff would have to give oral and written warnings about romance scams and advise calling the DOJ National Elder Fraud Hotline. The FTC m…
- New bank rules to protect seniors: mixed, medium. If enacted, banks and covered financial firms would have to watch for signs of romance scams against customers age 60 or older and report detailed incident information to the Treasury. They would need new procedures, employee training, a way for a senior to name a contact, and referral steps to the…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act
- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-2619: No Paydays for Hostage-Takers Act
- 119-hr-624: RIFLE Act of 2025
- 119-hr-833: Educational Choice for Children Act of 2025
- 119-hr-6617: Keeping All Students Safe Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-10495 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/10495)

## Related
- [119-hr-9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9237)
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-2619: No Paydays for Hostage-Takers Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2619)
- [119-hr-624: RIFLE Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-624)
- [119-hr-833: Educational Choice for Children Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-833)
- [119-hr-6617: Keeping All Students Safe Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-6617)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-10495 (as of 2026-11-04).