S. 2544 · On the floor · Crime and Law Enforcement

GUARD Act

What it does

Allows state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies and grantees under certain grant programs to use funds to investigate general financial fraud, elder financial fraud, and pig butchering.
Defines pig butchering as a confidence and investment fraud that gradually lures victims into transferring growing sums, generally cryptocurrency, into a fake virtual investment.
Allows federal law enforcement to help state, local, and tribal agencies and fusion centers use blockchain tracing tools.
Requires the Treasury and FinCEN to report on efforts and recommendations on financial fraud, elder fraud, pig butchering, and scams, and on the state of scams in the United States.

Official summary

Guarding Unprotected Aging Retirees from Deception Act or the GUARD Act This bill allows state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies and grantees that receive funds from certain law enforcement grant programs to use the funds to investigate general financial fraud, elder financial fraud, and pig butchering. Pig butchering refers to a confidence and investment fraud in which a victim is gradually lured into transferring increasing amounts of money, generally in the form of cryptocurrency, into a fake virtual investment. The bill allows federal law enforcement agencies to assist state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies and fusion centers in the use of tracing tools for blockchain and related technology tools. Finally, the bill requires the Department of the Treasury and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to report on efforts and recommendations related to general financial fraud, elder financial fraud, pig butchering, and scams. The bill also requires Treasury and FinCEN to report on the state of scams in the United States, including information about crimes committed, federal civil and criminal enforcement actions, and federal efforts to address the…

Latest action

Feb 9, 2026: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 317.

Committee: Senate Judiciary