Key Takeaways

In March, U.S. legislators made a crucial move in the war against romance scammers. 

Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) introduced Bill S. 841 to the Senate. The bill would require online dating platforms, including apps and social media companies, to issue fraud ban notifications to users who match with someone who has been banned, or previously banned, from the dating platform. 

The bipartisan bill passed the Senate Commerce Committee, but its journey to becoming law is just beginning. 

The Romance Scam Prevention Act Holds Platforms Accountable

Bill S.841 is not the only legislation tackling this issue. Rep. David Valadao introduced a companion bill, the Romance Scam Prevention Act, to Congress on March 31. Valadao (R-Calif.) was joined by representatives Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.), Tom Suozzi (D-NY), and Craig Goldman (R-Texas). The bill passed out of committee markup on April 8. 

Like S.841, the Romance Scam Prevention Act is a bipartisan bill that would require dating platforms to issue fraud ban notifications to people who have interacted with someone who has been banned or removed from the app. 

“Online dating has become an increasingly common way for people to connect, but unfortunately, it’s also a tool for scammers looking to take advantage of unsuspecting users,” Valadao explained. “This bipartisan, bicameral bill provides transparency, empowers users to make informed decisions, and reinforces best practices to prevent online scams.” 

By reinforcing best practices, the Romance Scam Prevention Act would compel dating platforms to tighten security, enact creative solutions to persistent fraudsters, and take user safety concerns seriously. 

“Dating apps are still a new frontier for criminals and scammers looking to exploit vulnerable individuals online and regulations are lagging behind,” Pettersen said. “Notifying users if they have been in contact with a potential scammer is a basic security feature that every online dating service should provide.” 

Romance Scammers Run Wild on Dating Platforms 

At a committee session earlier in March, Blackburn told the story of a woman named Beth Hyland, who, like countless others, fell victim to a romance scam. 

Hyland, who joined Blackburn in the Senate Commerce Committee room, sent thousands of dollars to a man calling himself  “Richard” who Hyland thought was the love of her life — until she discovered he was actually a Nigerian scammer who worked with a criminal organization known as the “Yahoo Boys.” 

“In the physical world, there are laws against this,” Blackburn later told NBC News. “They have not been applied to the virtual space, and most people realize it is past time to put some protections in place on the virtual space.” 

If passed into law, this legislation would hold dating platforms to a higher standard by requiring them to issue clearly-worded fraud ban notifications to relevant dating app members within 24 hours of a fraud ban being initiated against a banned user. 

This is not the first time Valadao has introduced legislation to protect Americans from romance scams. His battle began two years ago, when he first introduced the Online Dating Safety Act of 2023 to Congress. It passed the House and was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation by the Senate.

New York, Colorado, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Utah have also passed or updated online dating regulations in recent years. 

Americans Have Lost Billions to Romance Scammers 

Innocent people abound on dating platforms, and so do manipulative scammers. S.841 and the Romance Scam Prevention Act were in part inspired by the Federal Trade Commission’s troubling report that Americans lost $1.1 billion from romance scams in 2023. 

With such high losses, it’s clear that there’s more going on here than lonely seniors falling for a convincing voice on the telephone. 

“Anyone can fall victim to a romance scam, regardless of age, education, or intelligence,” according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. “Romance scammers are highly skilled manipulators who exploit our emotions.” And more times than not, they don’t work alone — Hyland learned this firsthand. 

“They often work in organized groups and use well-rehearsed scripts to deceive their victims,” according to the Homeland Security website. With romance scammers working together in tightly structured groups, dating platforms are in need of a strong defense. 

Blackburn, Hickenlooper, and Valadao hope these bills will be the defensive measure — and the motivation — dating platforms need to keep daters safe. Or, at least, that these bills will push platforms to dedicate the time, money, and resources needed to prevent scammers from running amok.