Romantic fraudists who target Americans at the center of a new legislation

EXCLUSIVE: As Romanesque frauds are on the rise, the two -party group of legislators introduce new legislation aimed at responsibility of those who seek to deceive retirees and steal their hardly earned savings.
Now Sens. Marsha Blackburn, r-tetn., And John HickenlooperD-COLO., And Rev. David Valadao, R-CALIF., Have introduced the Romance Prevention Act, which will require that applications and meetings to get to know the issue of notification of fraud to users who communicated with the person removed from the application.
The move followed because Americans are more than ever linked thanks to social media and socializing applications that allow us to stay in touch with old friends around the world and develop new connections on the network.
As Americans are increasingly going online in search of relationships, fraudsters follow the lawsuit. According to the Federal Commission for Trade (FTC), nearly 70,000 people reported that the victims of the Romanesque fraud reported.
Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) arrives at the Senate Senate Business Meeting at the Senate Office of Dirksen on February 13, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Senator John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., He was seen in the US capitol on Thursday, February 27, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
People between the ages of 40 and 69 have most likely reported loss of money due to Romanesque fraud, and people 70 and older reported the highest individual medium losses to $ 9,475, According to FTC.
Blackburn said that two -sided legislature would put “critical protective measures” to protect the applications users. The senator pointed out that in 2023 Tennesseans over 60 years of age lost $ 43 million over the fraud that was targeting the elderly.
“The frauds are ruthless in their exploitation of older citizens who join applications to establish meaningful relationships, but instead they have lost their life savings from artists who captivate their vulnerability,” she said.
Read the account text: mobile users Click here
The draft of the law requires the providers of the internet gathering services to inform the members whether they have communicated with someone whose account is forbidden for false activities. Notice must contain details of a prohibited member profile and a warning that a prohibited member may try fraudsuch as the search for money.
How not to fall in love with romance with romance on AI drive
The FTC was made on the account and enables general prosecutors to bring a civil lawsuit on behalf of the affected residents. It also ensures that no state law can interfere with the procedure for the prohibition of fraud.
“This double -sided, bull -based account provides transparency, allows users to make informed decisions and reinforce the best practices to prevent internet frauds,” Valadao said. “I am proud to help lead the efforts for the internet gathering to become safer and protect Americans from all ages than financial fraud.”
US Ambassador David Valadao, R-Hhanford, at the public oath ceremony for the assembly of Alexandra Macedo, R-Tulare, in the Chamber of Council of the Tulara City Council in California, January 31, 2025. (Juan Esparza Loera/Fresno Bee/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Recently discovered one such fraud Authorities in Las Vegas in February. The Law on the Prevention of Romance on the fraud would keep citizens of suspects like the 43-year-old Aurora Phelps.
“Phelps would meet older men on web pages or services to socialize and then get to know them personally. It was part of her older men’s drug schemes to get unauthorized access and steal money from their financial accounts to personally use themselves and their family members,” prosecutors said.
Photo by the defendant Aurora Phelps, from court documents in the United States against Aurora Phelps at the US District Court for Nevada County. (Ministry of Justice/District Court US for Nevada County.)
Phelps is charged with 21 points, including seven points of fraud in wires; three points of fraud by mail; six points of fraud in banks; three points of identity theft; one number of abductions; and one point of abduction that resulted in death, US lawyer for Nevada County he said in a statement.
If he is convicted of all points, Phelps, who was brought to Mexico, could face a maximum lifetime prison.
Although she was accused in only one death, the indictment said at least two men she met and cheated on died.
Red flags in a romantic fraud
In romantic frauds, the criminal uses false internet identity to gain the affection and confidence of the victim. The burglar then uses the illusion of a romantic or close relationship with manipulation and/or theft from the victim.
The rise of romantic frauds has led to American immigration and customs execution (Ice) provide practical advice to avoid using them to use them.
- Be suspicious of unwanted phone calls and text messages. Do not respond to calls or texts from any unknown number. Never give personal information by phone or text.
- Limit what you share on the network. Deceives can use details that share on social networks and web pages to get to know how to better understand and target you to create a relationship and take advantage of what is happening in your life.
- Go slowly and ask questions. Creating a false sense of urgency is the fundamental tactic of social engineering. Don’t let the individual hurry to make a decision. Be careful to send money, bank account information, personal photos or other sensitive personal information to someone you have never personally introduced.
- Keep it on a platform. Many times the fraudsters will push to move a conversation with dating or social platform. Generally, they seek text or E -Ap. This is to avoid discovering control in website to get to know.
- Listen to your guts. If an individual seems too good to be true, talk to someone you believe in.
- You do not send money or a crypto currency. Never send money to anyone you have communicated only online or by phone. If you meet someone on a website, an app or social media, and they want to show you how to invest in a cryptocurrency or ask you to send them a crypto currency, it’s a fraud.
Older citizens are often targeted by fraudsters. (Cyberguy.com)
Resources
More information about the efforts of the department to help the older Americans are available on its website for older initiatives for justice, elder.gov.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its efforts to implement, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-tem.
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Appeal for the Older Frauds can be submitted by FTC on www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FC-HELP. The Ministry of Justice provides a multitude of resources relating to the Victimisation of older frauds through its Crime Office, www.ovc.gov.