Trump Signs Romance Scam Prevention Act
The law requires dating apps to notify users who interacted with a removed fraudulent account.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Romance
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President Donald Trump signed the Romance Scam Prevention Act into law. The measure requires dating app platforms to send a fraud ban notification to anyone who has communicated with a fraudulent account.
Why it matters
Individuals who meet online often move conversations to other communication platforms, so users may not know a removed account is still in contact with them. The law is designed to alert those users to potential fraud.
The Federal Trade Commission reported romance scam victims lost $1.3 billion in 2022. In Tennessee alone, over-60 losses to scams reached $43 million in 2023, an 18% rise from the prior year.
The players
Marsha Blackburn
Republican U.S. senator from Tennessee who co-sponsored the Romance Scam Prevention Act.
John Hickenlooper
Democratic U.S. senator from Colorado who co-sponsored the Romance Scam Prevention Act.
Donald Trump
Current President of the United States, who signed the Romance Scam Prevention Act into law.
The details
Dating apps deactivate a fraudulent user's account once the provider becomes aware of fraudulent activity. The law requires those platforms to then notify anyone who communicated with the removed account, and the bill was sponsored by Senators Marsha Blackburn and John Hickenlooper, with Representative David Valadao leading it in the House.
Timeline
2020: The COVID pandemic accelerated romance scams targeting seniors on dating sites.
2022: The FTC reported $1.3 billion lost to romance scams.
2023: Tennesseans over 60 lost $43 million to elder-targeted scams.
November 1, 2026: President Trump signed the Romance Scam Prevention Act into law.
Legal Context
The FTC's reporting of $1.3 billion in romance scam losses in 2022 established the scale of the problem. The new law adds a direct notification duty for dating platforms that the earlier loss data did not address.
Users of dating apps may begin receiving fraud ban notifications if they previously interacted with an account that was removed for fraud. The notification requirement is tied to the platform's actions, not to any action the user must take.
The takeaway
If you have chatted with someone on a dating app and later learn their account was removed for fraud, treat any requests for money or personal information with caution and contact the platform directly. Keep conversations on the app where possible so you can be alerted to account removals.
Further reading
Explore more on Romance as the new federal law reshapes safety expectations for online dating.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Clarksville, TN Online.
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