Stopping the Fraudulent Sales of Firearms Act
The Stopping the Fraudulent Sales of Firearms Act would create a new federal crime in 18 U.S.C. § 922(a) for fraudulent dealings involving firearms or ammunition. Specifically, it adds a new subsection (a)(10) making it illegal to import, manufacture, or sell a firearm or ammunition by false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, and to transmit or cause to be transmitted, through interstate or foreign communications (e.g., wire, radio, or television), any communication relating to those fraudulent activities. The bill links this new offense to the existing penalties in 18 U.S.C. § 924(a)(1)(B) by inserting a reference to the new subsection (a)(10) into the relevant penalty provision. The overall aim is to curb gun-related fraud and give federal authorities a clear tool to go after scammers who misrepresent firearms or ammunition and use interstate communications to promote those scams.
Key Points
- 1Creates a new federal offense: fraudulent importation, manufacture, or sale of firearms or ammunition, defined in § 922(a)(10)(A)-(B).
- 2Prohibits promoting or transmitting information about those fraudulent dealings via interstate or foreign communications (e.g., online ads, broadcast media, or other cross-border communications).
- 3Applies the existing federal penalties framework for firearms offenses by inserting the new subsection (a)(10) into § 924(a)(1)(B), ensuring the same range of penalties (fines and imprisonment) that apply to other § 922 offenses.
- 4Short title: “Stopping the Fraudulent Sales of Firearms Act.”
- 5Status and sponsorship: Introduced in the House on June 30, 2025, with multiple sponsors; referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.