Washington, DC - Scams are becoming a greater threat to area residents, and U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R, TN) has introduced the Romance Scam Prevention Act, which would require dating apps and services to issue fraud ban notifications to users who have interacted with a person removed from the app:
Sen. Blackburn noted, “Scammers are merciless in their exploitation of senior citizens who join dating apps to establish meaningful connections but instead end up losing their life savings to con artists who prey on their vulnerabilities. The Romance Scam Prevention Act would put critical safeguards in place to protect all dating app users – but especially senior citizens – from fraudulent schemes.”
In recent years, digital romance scams have become more common as scammers target recently widowed or divorced senior citizens due to their vulnerabilities and access to cash. In 2023, Tennesseans over the age of 60 lost $43 million due to scams targeting the elderly, marking an 18% increase from the losses reported in 2022. Across the country, the Federal Trade Commission reported that romance scams resulted in victims losing $1.3 billion in 2022 alone. Senator John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) co-sponsored this legislation.
Representative David Valadao (R-Calif.) is leading the effort to introduce this legislation in the House:
Representative Valadao said, “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. Romance scammers use fake identities to build trust and exploit their victims financially, which has cost Americans over a billion dollars per year. This bipartisan, bicameral bill provides transparency, empowers users to make informed decisions, and reinforces best practices to prevent online scams. I’m proud to help lead the effort to make online dating safer and protect Americans of all ages from financial fraud.”
