Romance Scam Prevention Act: New Bill Requires Dating Sites to Warn Users About Banned Accounts Within 24 Hours

The Romance Scam Prevention Act is a new bill designed to crack down on fraud within online dating services. The core of the bill is simple: If someone you've interacted with on a dating app gets banned for potential fraud, the app must tell you.

Swipe Left on Scammers: What the Bill Actually Does

This bill forces online dating services to send a "fraud ban notification" to any user who has received a message from someone who is later banned for suspicious activity. This notification has to include:

• The banned user's username.
• The last time you talked to them.
• A clear warning that the person might be using a fake identity or trying to scam you.
• A heads-up not to send money or personal info to other users.
• Tips on avoiding online fraud (likely a link to resources).
• Contact information for the dating service's customer support.

This notification must be sent within 24 hours of the user being banned, via email, text, or another method you've agreed to. The only exceptions are if the dating service needs more time (up to 3 days) or if law enforcement asks for a delay during an investigation.

Real-World Impact: Protecting Your Heart (and Wallet)

Imagine you've been chatting with someone on a dating app, and things seem to be going well. Then, out of the blue, you get a message from the app saying that person has been banned. This bill ensures you're not left in the dark. It provides a critical heads-up that could save you from emotional distress, financial loss, or even identity theft. For example, if a user named "DreamLover123" gets banned, and you last chatted with them two days ago, you'll get an alert. This lets you instantly block them on other platforms and be extra cautious of similar profiles. This could be crucial if, say, "DreamLover123" was starting to ask for help with a sudden 'emergency' expense, a common tactic of romance scammers. (Section 2 (a)(1)(A-F))

Who's Got Your Back? (And Who's Watching the Apps?)

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is in charge of enforcing this law. They can treat violations as "unfair or deceptive practices," which carries serious penalties. State attorneys general can also take action on behalf of their residents, but they have to tell the FTC first. (Section 2 (c)(1-2))

Importantly, the bill protects dating services from liability regarding the content of these notifications. So, they can't be sued for how they tell you, only for if they tell you. (Section 2 (b))

The Bottom Line

This bill is all about giving online dating users more information and control. By requiring prompt, clear warnings about potentially fraudulent users, the Romance Scam Prevention Act aims to make the online dating world a little safer. The bill goes into effect one year after enactment, giving dating services time to update their systems. (Section 2 (f))