New Law Targets Romance Scammers on Dating Apps

A new federal law aims to protect dating app users from financial scammers by requiring platforms to alert individuals when a user they've communicated with is banned for fraudulent activity. The bipartisan Romance Scam Prevention Act was unanimously passed by the Senate and signed into law by President Trump.

The law addresses the persistent problem of romance scams, which surged during the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to target individuals seeking companionship online. According to the Federal Trade Commission, over 49,000 Americans reported losing approximately $1.3 billion to romance scams last year, an increase from the previous year. A recent survey indicated that one in four Americans encountered a fake profile or AI bot, and 15% reported losing money to online dating scams, with men more likely to be victimized.

Previously, even if a dating platform banned a fraudulent account, users might continue interacting with the scammer off-app without knowledge of the ban. The Romance Scam Prevention Act mandates that dating platforms notify users who have communicated with a banned account within 24 hours of its banning. The notification must identify the fraudulent account, state the date of the last interaction, and warn against transferring money or financial data. It will also direct users to fraud-prevention resources.

This legislation was introduced by Rep. David Valadao, who was inspired by accounts of constituents falling victim to online scams. "Millions of Americans use online dating sites to meet significant others, making them the perfect hunting ground for scammers and bad actors to target unsuspecting victims and exploit them for money," Valadao stated. "This bipartisan, bicameral legislation is a commonsense step toward enhancing online safety and combating financial fraud."

The law, which will be enforced jointly by the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general, takes effect next year. The measure follows other recent efforts to combat online dating fraud, such as Seeking.com's requirement for live selfies to verify users, which led to the blocking of over 53,000 scammers. Additionally, the background check service Stud or Dud was launched to allow users to research potential romantic interests.