# New bank scam laws could stop suspicious payments

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/new-bank-scam-laws-could-stop-suspicious-payments/
- Published: 2026-07-17T16:30:46+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-22T03:12:14+00:00
- Original publisher: Fox News (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.foxnews.com/tech/new-bank-scam-laws-could-stop-suspicious-payments
- Topics: Americas, World

## Key points

- Georgia's House Bill 945 took effect 1 July 2026
- Lets banks pause suspicious payments to protect elderly, vulnerable customers
- Protections vary by state, account and institution policy

## Summary

A new Georgia law, House Bill 945, allows banks and credit unions to pause payments they reasonably suspect are the result of financial exploitation, particularly targeting fraud aimed at elderly and vulnerable account holders. The measure came into effect on 1 July 2026 and aims to give financial institutions a window to intervene before scammers can complete an irreversible transfer, such as when victims are pressured over the phone into moving money into a "safe account" that actually belongs to a criminal.

The law protects adults aged 65 and over, as well as those with qualifying physical or mental incapacities, including Alzheimer's disease or dementia. However, the article notes that the actual scope of a bank's power to intervene may vary depending on the customer's state, account type and the individual institution's own policies, meaning protection is not uniform nationwide.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.