DOVER, Del.-Â A consumer protection bill that won unanimous approval in the House of Representatives this week aims to safeguard Delaware seniors from falling prey to scammers.
According to local legislators, House Bill 317 mandates that all sellers of third-party gift cards display a notice warning about potential scams involving gift cards. Lawmakers say con artists pose as representatives of government agencies, utilities, businesses, and other entities. They often target senior citizens, pressuring them to send payments using the cards.
Last year, more than 6,000 Delawareans reported falling victim to such tactics, with half of them losing more than $700 each.
"Here in Delaware, we’ve lost $22.3 million to fraud," said Delaware State AARP Director Lucretia Young. "Delaware ranks 4th out of all states for overall fraud reports."
The legislation now heads to the Senate for consideration.