Romance Scam Prevention Act
Description
This bill would require online dating services to notify users if they have interacted with an account banned for suspected fraud.
Summary
What it does
This bill would require online dating service providers to notify users if they have interacted with an account that has been banned from the platform. These notifications must include the banned user's identifier, warnings about potential fraud or false identities, and advice against sending money or financial information to other users. The Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general would be responsible for enforcing these requirements.
Who is affected
This bill affects online dating service providers, including mobile applications and websites, which would be required to issue fraud ban notifications to their users. It also impacts individual users of these services who have interacted with accounts that are subsequently banned for potential fraud. Additionally, the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general are affected as the primary entities responsible for enforcing these new requirements.
Key provisions
- Mandatory fraud ban notifications. Online dating service providers must notify users if they have exchanged messages with an account that has since been banned from the platform.
- Required notification content. Notifications must include the banned user's identifier, warnings about potential identity fraud, and instructions to never send currency or financial information to other users.
- Educational resources and support. Providers are required to include information on how to avoid online fraud and must provide contact information for their customer service department within the notification.
- Federal and state enforcement. The bill authorizes the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general to enforce these notification requirements.
Fiscal impact
- H.R. 2481, Romance Scam Prevention Act· As ordered reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on April 8, 2025
Effective dates
Not applicable: Official Summary does not address effective dates
Relationship to existing law
The bill grants enforcement authority over the new online dating service requirements to the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general.
Stated purpose
The bill aims to protect users of online dating services from financial fraud and identity deception by requiring service providers to notify users when they have interacted with a banned account. These notifications are intended to warn users about potential scams, provide guidance on avoiding online fraud, and discourage the sharing of personal financial information or currency with other users.