The House of Representatives in Jamaica has passed a bill calling for tougher prosecution of those involved in multimillion-dollar lottery scams that mostly have targeted elderly Americans.
The governor general of Jamaica is expected to sign the bill, which the Senate also passed on March 21, 2013. The bill targets advanced fee fraud, identity theft, the use of technology for illegally accessing financial accounts and makes the possession of paraphernalia involved in scamming an offense. The bill also prohibits making threats and coercing victims over the phone. Those found guilty could face up to 20 years in prison.