Washington, D.C. — Congressman Nick LaLota (Suffolk County, NY) released the following statement after voting to pass the bipartisan H.R. 2481 Romance Scam Prevention Act, a bill requiring dating apps to label profiles and usernames which have been banned for fraud while empowering the Federal Trade Commission and state attorney generals to enforce this requirement. “Too many Americans—especially seniors and vulnerable individuals—are being targeted by online predators who exploit trust and loneliness to steal life savings. The Romance Scam Prevention Act brings common-sense safeguards that empower users and help stop these heartbreaking crimes before they start," said Rep. LaLota. "By passing this bill, the House is sending a clear message: we will not sit by while criminals use digital platforms to defraud the innocent. I’m proud to support this bipartisan step to protect our communities and hold scammers accountable." To read the full text of the resolution, click HERE. Background: Romance scams are among the fastest-growing forms of online fraud in the United States, contributing to a record $10 billion in reported consumer fraud losses in 2023, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC Data Spotlight, Feb. 2024). While younger adults report scams more frequently, particularly through online shopping, job, and cryptocurrency frauds, older Americans suffer the steepest financial losses, with victims aged 60 and older losing an average of nearly $34,000 in romance scams (FTC, Protecting Older Consumers Report, Oct. 2023). These scams often begin on dating apps or social media, where bad actors build fake profiles, foster emotional trust, and then manipulate victims into sending money or financial information. Once these fraudsters are removed from the platform, their victims—many of whom continue communication via text or email—are rarely informed, leaving them at serious ongoing risk. The Romance Scam Prevention Act (H.R. 2481), introduced by Rep. David Valadao and passed unanimously by the House in June 2025 (Congress.gov – H.R. 2481), aims to close that notification gap. The bill requires online dating services to send a “fraud ban notification” to any user who exchanged messages with a person later banned for suspected fraud. The notification must include the banned user’s profile name, the last time messages were exchanged, a warning about possible identity fraud, tips for avoiding scams, and a customer service contact. The bill gives enforcement authority to the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general, and it sets a uniform federal standard that preempts inconsistent state laws (House Energy and Commerce Committee Summary). These safeguards are designed to help prevent fraud before it happens and to protect vulnerable users, especially seniors, from devastating financial and emotional harm. |