Anti-phishing Act of 2005

The Anti-phishing Act of 2005 (H.R. 1099) was designed to make "phishing"—the practice of using fraudulent emails and websites to steal personal information—a specific federal crime. The bill proposed a penalty of up to five years in prison and significant fines for individuals who create fake websites or send deceptive emails that impersonate legitimate businesses to trick people into revealing sensitive data like passwords or social security numbers. For everyday citizens, this legislation aimed to provide stronger legal protections against identity theft and financial fraud by giving federal law enforcement more direct authority to prosecute online scammers.