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119-hr-7786119th CongressWALLET

AI Fraud Accountability Act

Sponsored By: Representative Buchanan, Vern [R-FL-16]

Introduced

Summary

Prohibits digital impersonation fraud with criminal penalties and Federal Trade Commission enforcement. The bill defines digital impersonation, bars using online impersonation to defraud in interstate or foreign communications, and pairs criminal law with FTC authority, NIST standards work, and new steps for cross‑border cooperation.

Show full summary
  • Consumers and victims: Creates a civil enforcement route through the Federal Trade Commission and treats deceptive impersonation as an unfair or deceptive practice to help stop scams and seek remedies.
  • Criminal enforcement: Makes misuse of digital impersonations to defraud a federal crime with fines, up to 3 years imprisonment, and forfeiture of proceeds and tools used to commit the offense; it also applies extraterritorially.
  • Standards and international response: Directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology to run a working group, hold at least one public workshop, and publish best practices within 1 year with annual updates and a 10‑year sunset. The bill requires identifying the top 10 foreign source countries and boosting international law‑enforcement cooperation.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Keeps First Amendment protections intact

If enacted, the bill would say that nothing in the Act should be read to restrict parody, satire, journalism, or other rights protected by the First Amendment. This would preserve expressive protections and clarify that covered speech is not limited by the new impersonation rules.

New criminal penalties for impersonation

If enacted, this bill would make it a crime to use a digital impersonation in interstate or foreign communications to defraud someone of money, papers, documents, or other value. Penalties would include fines under title 18, up to 3 years in prison, or both. Courts would be required to order criminal forfeiture of gross proceeds and property used to commit the crime. The rule would reach conduct that crosses borders and would not apply to lawful law‑enforcement or intelligence activities.

Federal tech group to fight impersonation

If enacted, the Secretary of Commerce, through NIST, would convene a working group within 30 days to develop best practices for detecting, preventing, and tracing digital impersonations used to commit fraud. NIST would hold at least one public workshop and publish guidance on its website within 1 year. NIST would review the guidance at 2 years and at least annually after, submit annual reports to Congress starting within 1 year, and the working group requirements would end 10 years after enactment.

More consumer enforcement and international cooperation

If enacted, the bill would let the Federal Trade Commission treat false digital impersonation in interstate or foreign commerce as an unfair or deceptive practice. The FTC would get the same enforcement powers it already has under the FTC Act. The FTC, working with the Attorney General and Secretary of State, would identify the top 10 foreign countries where these harms originate within 90 days and could seek cooperation agreements. The FTC must report to Congress within 1 year and each year after. The Attorney General would also review and, if needed, change international law‑enforcement agreements within 1 year and at least every 5 years, and report to Congress on those reviews.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Buchanan, Vern [R-FL-16]

FL • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 3/4/2026

  • Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2]

    NJ • R

    Sponsored 4/13/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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