U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) have introduced a bill that would direct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to study scams impacting American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and tribal members. The bipartisan legislation also requires the FTC to submit recommendations to Congress on policies to curb these deceptive practices. This study would be done in consultation with tribes and pueblos.
Tribal communities have long been the targets of fraud. Scammers often target vulnerable communities who receive trust or lawsuit settlement payments, like many tribes do, or tribal members in charge of investment committees. FTC data says that tribal members are more likely to be the victims of scams and are less likely to report scams than any other group, which makes them an even more attractive target for scammers. The Protecting Indian Tribes from Scams Act will direct the FTC to study the types of scams that target tribes and find the ways we can combat them.
Once the study has been completed, the FTC would be required to present its findings to Congress. The report would include the types of scams targeted at tribal communities, the agency’s consumer education activities related to these scams, efforts to collaborate with tribes to prevent scams or pursue scammers, enforcement actions taken by the FTC, and recommendations for legislation to prevent these scams. Six months after the report is presented to Congress, the FTC would be required to update its website with information for both consumers and businesses on identifying scams targeting tribes and tribal members.
The Protecting Indian Tribes from Scams Act complements another piece of legislation Luján has worked on — the Stopping COVID Scams Act — this would empower the FTC to work with state attorneys general to impose civil penalties on COVID-19 scammers. Luján says the some of the scams attempt to take advantage of people based on Medicare or Social Security while others offer to sell defective products like personal protective equipment.
Fraudsters have also targeted individuals who were receiving payouts in connection with the Cobell Indian Trust Settlement. These scam artists reportedly told individuals that they could help process applications for Cobell funds in exchange for a percentage of funds received. Please be advised that no one connected with the settlement will request payment or bank account information for any services.
No loss is too small to report. You can help protect your family, friends, tribal community, and others by reporting scams. Even if a source seems credible and has worked with tribal members or tribal investment committees in the past, it is always wise to seek advice from a registered financial professional and discuss your options with trusted family members and friends.
This pamphlet, titled “Fighting Fraud 101: Smart Tips for Investors,” was designed by First Nations Development Institute to appeal to individuals, members of tribal investment committees, and retirees. It lists some common fraud tactics, teaches several techniques to avoid being taken advantage of, and how to report suspicious behavior.
The biggest Indian scam is in the 1700s there were no white skinned Indians. There were only copper-colored people in America. With programs like the Dawes Rolls the US government allowed foreigners to be Indians. It does not work that way. You can not go anywhere on earth and do this but the US did it here. In 1970 they called the American Indians Black and took power over them. So at the same time they were supposedly terminating the copper-colored Indians they were taking care of the fake Indians. That was not what was originally agreed on. In 1953 -1968 they attempted termination on us and that was a miserable plan because we know and we also know what our Treaty of Middle Plantation reads. It is not comforting to know that a country that did not even exist when our Treaty was signed came to our land and tried to terminate us. When you realize how bad this was they had no medical records on Blacks can you imagine how many people were killed by trusting the hospitals and taking the wrong medicine. We were killed and our land was taken by foreigners who according to the Treaty of Middle Plantation Article 4 no-one is supposed to be here unless we have invited them and the US government was never invited .