The White House has declared open season on cybercriminals.

On March 6, 2026, President Trump signed an executive order titled “Combating Cybercrime, Fraud, and Predatory Schemes Against American Citizens” — the most aggressive federal action against online scams in U.S. history. The order doesn’t just talk tough; it creates operational infrastructure to hunt down the transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) that run scam call centers, ransomware operations, and fraud networks targeting American families.

The Scale of the Problem

The numbers are staggering:

  • $12.5 billion lost by American consumers to cyber-enabled fraud in 2024
  • 73% of U.S. adults have experienced some kind of online scam or attack
  • 87% of seniors view online scams as a major problem
  • 1 in 7 young people who experienced sextortion harmed themselves in response

These aren’t just statistics — they represent drained retirement accounts, destroyed credit scores, shattered families, and in the worst cases, lives lost to despair.

What the Executive Order Actually Does

1. Comprehensive Review of Tools and Tactics

The order directs a full review of operational, technical, diplomatic, and regulatory tools available to combat cybercrime. This isn’t bureaucratic box-checking — it’s identifying gaps in current capabilities and building new weapons against digital predators.

2. Action Plan Against Criminal Networks

Within 120 days, federal agencies must submit an action plan that:

  • Identifies specific TCOs responsible for scam centers and cybercrime
  • Proposes solutions to prevent, disrupt, investigate, and dismantle their operations
  • Establishes a dedicated operational cell within the National Coordination Center (NCC)

This operational cell is significant — it creates a permanent, focused team whose only job is dismantling these criminal networks.

3. Prioritized Prosecutions

The Attorney General is directed to prioritize prosecutions of cyber-enabled fraud and scam schemes, pursuing the most serious offenses. No more letting cases languish while victims suffer.

4. Victims Restoration Program

Perhaps the most victim-friendly provision: the Attorney General must recommend how to establish a Victims Restoration Program to return seized and forfeited funds directly to fraud victims.

Currently, even when authorities seize criminal assets, the money often sits in government coffers or gets distributed through byzantine bureaucratic processes. This order aims to get stolen money back to the people it was stolen from.

5. Foreign Government Accountability

The Secretary of State is directed to engage foreign governments with explicit demands:

  • Take enforcement action against TCOs operating on their soil
  • Face consequences for non-compliance, including:
    • Sanctions
    • Visa restrictions
    • Foreign assistance limits
    • Expulsion of complicit officials

This is the “name and shame” approach backed by real consequences. Countries that harbor cybercriminals will pay a price.

6. State and Local Support

The Secretary of Homeland Security will partner with the NCC to provide training, technical assistance, and resilience building for state and local partners. Cybercrime doesn’t respect jurisdictional boundaries, and neither will the response.

Who Gets Targeted?

The executive order explicitly targets:

  • Ransomware operators who hold businesses and hospitals hostage
  • Phishing campaign organizers who steal credentials at scale
  • Financial fraud networks running investment scams and romance fraud
  • Sextortion rings that prey on minors and vulnerable adults
  • Impersonation scammers posing as government officials, tech support, or romantic interests

Many of these operations have state backing — or at least state tolerance. The order calls out regimes that provide “willing or tacit state support to cybercrime and predatory schemes, creating a shadow economy fueled by stolen identities, coercion, forced labor, and human trafficking.”

The Vulnerable Pay the Highest Price

The order specifically acknowledges who suffers most:

“The most vulnerable among us—seniors, children, and low-income families—are disproportionately targeted, draining life savings, stealing the benefits of years of work, and destroying lives.”

Seniors lose the most money on average. Children face sextortion. Low-income families can’t afford to lose even small amounts. The executive order frames cybercrime not just as a technical problem, but as an attack on America’s most vulnerable citizens.

Tied to the New Cyber Strategy

This executive order accompanies the broader Cyber Strategy for America, which emphasizes:

  • Offensive cyber operations against adversaries
  • AI-powered defense of federal networks
  • Streamlined regulations that don’t burden victims
  • Building a cyber workforce as a “strategic asset”

The scam-fighting executive order is the consumer protection arm of a broader offensive posture in cyberspace.

What This Means for You

If You’ve Been Scammed

  • Report to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
  • File complaints with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
  • The new Victims Restoration Program may eventually help recover funds
  • Don’t be embarrassed — reporting helps authorities track criminal networks

If You’re Protecting Vulnerable Family Members

  • The federal government is now prioritizing these cases
  • State and local law enforcement will receive more training and resources
  • Keep reporting suspicious contacts and attempted scams

If You Work in Cybersecurity

  • Expect new public-private partnerships focused on threat intelligence sharing
  • The NCC operational cell will likely coordinate with private sector
  • Prosecution priorities mean more cooperation requests from federal law enforcement

The Bottom Line

This executive order represents a fundamental shift in how the U.S. government approaches cybercrime. Instead of treating scams as a consumer protection nuisance, they’re now classified as national security threats tied to transnational criminal organizations.

For the millions of Americans who’ve lost money, dignity, or loved ones to cyber-enabled fraud, this is long overdue. Whether the ambitious goals translate into actual takedowns and prosecutions remains to be seen — but the intent is unmistakable.

The federal government is going on offense against scammers. Finally.

Stay informed about emerging scams and fraud prevention at ScamWatch HQ. Report suspicious activity to the FBI’s IC3 at ic3.gov.