Scanlon, Ryan, Padilla Introduce Legislation to Stop Fraudulent Gun Sales

Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) today joined Congressman Pat Ryan (NY-18) and Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) in introducing the Stopping the Fraudulent Sale of Firearms Act, a bill to prevent gun sellers from circumventing technology companies’ terms of service by making it illegal to fraudulently sell firearms and ammunition online.

Some technology companies have taken steps to ban the sale of firearms and ammunition on their platforms, but sellers often misrepresent guns as other items to circumvent such restrictions. For example, sellers advertise on platforms like Facebook’s Marketplace, claiming to sell stickers alongside images of gun makers’ logos. Stopping the Fraudulent Sales of Firearms Act would make the deceptive sale or transfer of firearms a federal crime.

“Background checks work, and everyone who tries to buy a gun should have to pass one,” said Rep. Scanlon. “It’s time to crack down on deceptive online sales practices that give dangerous people unchecked access to guns and make our communities less safe. I’m proud to lead this common sense legislation that would make these misleading practices illegal – one solution of many that we know will reduce gun violence and save lives.” 

“Misrepresentations that allow illegally trafficked guns into our schools and on our streets must end now,” said Rep. Ryan. “I’m proud to join Congresswoman Scanlon in fighting to keep our children and communities safe and curbing the epidemic of gun violence.”

“Background checks save lives by keeping guns out of the wrong hands, but fast-growing online marketplaces are making it easier to dodge these critical protections,” said Senator Padilla. “Fraudulent sales on these online marketplaces create a backdoor for dangerous individuals — even in states with strong gun laws. By prohibiting fraudulent transactions and holding deceptive sellers accountable, our bill would reinforce background check requirements and help prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands.”

According to Everytown, nearly 1 in 9 prospective buyers who respond to online ads from unlicensed sellers would fail a background check. By cracking down on fraudulent online sellers, we would reduce the flow of illegal firearms to individuals prohibited from owning them and strengthen efforts to curb gun violence in our communities.

The bill is co-sponsored by Reps. Sean Casten (IL-06), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), and André Carson (IN-07) and is endorsed by Everytown for Gun Safety, Giffords, and Brady.

Find the full bill text here.

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