WASHINGTON—U.S. Representatives Brittany Pettersen (D-CO) and David G. Valadao (R-CA) today introduced the bipartisan Online Dating Safety Act. This bill would require dating apps and services to issue fraud ban notifications to users who have interacted with a person removed from the app. The Federal Trade Commission reported that romance scams resulted in victims losing $1.3 billion in 2022 alone.
“Dating apps are still a new frontier for criminals and scammers looking to exploit vulnerable individuals online and regulations are lagging behind,” said Pettersen. “Notifying users if they have been in contact with a potential scammer is a basic security feature that every online dating service should provide. This bill is a great step towards reducing online crime and keeping Americans safe.”
“With more and more people using online dating services, there are a number of bad actors who use these platforms to commit fraud,” said Valadao. “It is alarmingly easy for predators online to lie about their identity and manipulate innocent people. While we can’t stop all criminals from abusing these platforms, the Online Dating Safety Act is an important step to enhance online safety, combat fraud, and help people make more informed decisions.”
Background:
Over 55 million Americans reported using an online dating service in 2022. As Americans continue to go online to find meaningful relationships, scammers are following suit. The Federal Trade Commission reported that romance scams resulted in victims losing $1.3 billion in 2022 alone. When an online dating service provider becomes aware of a user committing fraudulent activity, such as illegally obtaining money, the online dating service provider immediately deactivates the fraudulent user's account. However, individuals who meet online often take their conversations to other communication platforms, so even when a fraudulent account is removed, an individual might not know they are still communicating with someone who has been removed from the dating platform. The Online Dating Safety Act seeks to fill this communication gap by requiring these platforms to send a fraud ban notification to anyone who has communicated with someone with a fraudulent account.
