IB 
Union Calendar No. 521 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6125 
[Report No. 118–623] 
To require online dating service providers to provide fraud ban notifications 
to online dating service members, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 30, 2023 
Mr. VALADAO (for himself and Ms. PETTERSEN) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
JULY 30, 2024 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on October 30, 2023] 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Online Dating Safety 
Act of 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. ONLINE DATING SAFETY. 
(a) FRAUD BAN NOTIFICATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—An online dating service pro-
vider shall provide to a member of the online dating 
service a fraud ban notification if the member has re-
ceived a message through the online dating service 
from a banned member of the online dating service. 
(2) REQUIRED CONTENTS.—A fraud ban notifi-
cation under paragraph (1) shall include the fol-
lowing: 
(A) The username or other profile identifier 
of the banned member, as well as the most recent 
time when the member to whom the notification 
is being provided sent or received a message 
through the online dating service to or from the 
banned member. 
(B) A statement, as applicable, that the 
banned member may have been using a false 
identity or attempting to defraud members. 
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(C) A statement that a member should not 
send money or personal financial information to 
another member. 
(D) An online link to information regard-
ing ways to avoid online fraud or being de-
frauded by a member of an online dating service. 
(E) Contact information to reach the cus-
tomer service department of the online dating 
service provider. 
(3) MANNER AND TIMING.— 
(A) MANNER.—A fraud ban notification 
under paragraph (1) shall be— 
(i) clear and conspicuous; and 
(ii) provided by email, text message, or 
other appropriate means of communication 
consented to by the member. 
(B) TIMING.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided 
in clauses (ii) and (iii), an online dating 
service provider shall provide a fraud ban 
notification under paragraph (1) not later 
than 24 hours after the fraud ban is initi-
ated against the banned member. 
(ii) DELAY BASED ON JUDGMENT OF 
PROVIDER.—If, in the judgment of the on-
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line dating service provider, the cir-
cumstances require a fraud ban notification 
under paragraph (1) to be provided after 
the 24-hour period described in clause (i), 
the online dating service provider shall, ex-
cept as provided in clause (iii), provide the 
notification not later than 3 days after the 
day on which the fraud ban is initiated 
against the banned member. 
(iii) DELAY UPON REQUEST OF LAW 
ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.—If, due to an on-
going investigation, a law enforcement offi-
cial requests an online dating service pro-
vider to delay providing a fraud ban notifi-
cation under paragraph (1) beyond the time 
when the notification is required to be pro-
vided under clause (i) or (ii), the online 
dating service provider— 
(I) may not provide the notifica-
tion before the end of the period of 
delay (including any extension of such 
period) requested by the law enforce-
ment official; and 
(II) shall provide the notification 
not later than 3 days after the last day 
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of the period of delay (including any 
extension of such period) requested by 
the law enforcement official. 
(b) ENFORCEMENT
BY FEDERAL TRADE COMMIS-
SION.— 
(1) UNFAIR
OR
DECEPTIVE
ACTS
OR
PRAC-
TICES.—A violation of this section shall be treated as 
a violation of a regulation under section 18(a)(1)(B) 
of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 
57a(a)(1)(B)) regarding unfair or deceptive acts or 
practices. 
(2) POWERS OF COMMISSION.—The Commission 
shall enforce this section in the same manner, by the 
same means, and with the same jurisdiction, powers, 
and duties as though all applicable terms and provi-
sions of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 
U.S.C. 41 et seq.) were incorporated into and made 
a part of this section, and any person who violates 
this section shall be subject to the penalties and enti-
tled to the privileges and immunities provided in the 
Federal Trade Commission Act. 
(3) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this 
section may be construed to limit the authority of the 
Commission under any other provision of law. 
(c) ACTIONS BY STATES.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—In any case in which the at-
torney general of a State, or an official or agency of 
a State, has reason to believe that an interest of the 
residents of such State has been or is threatened or 
adversely affected by an act or practice in violation 
of this section, the State, as parens patriae, may 
bring a civil action on behalf of the residents of the 
State in an appropriate district court of the United 
States to obtain appropriate relief. 
(2) NOTICE.—Before filing an action under this 
subsection, the attorney general, official, or agency of 
the State involved shall provide to the Commission a 
written notice of such action and a copy of the com-
plaint for such action. If the attorney general, official, 
or agency determines that it is not feasible to provide 
the notice described in this paragraph before the filing 
of the action, the attorney general, official, or agency 
shall provide written notice of the action and a copy 
of the complaint to the Commission immediately 
upon the filing of the action. 
(3) AUTHORITY
OF
FEDERAL
TRADE
COMMIS-
SION.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—On receiving notice 
under paragraph (2) of an action under this 
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subsection, the Commission shall have the 
right— 
(i) to intervene in the action; 
(ii) upon so intervening, to be heard 
on all matters arising therein; and 
(iii) to file petitions for appeal. 
(B) LIMITATION ON STATE ACTION WHILE 
FEDERAL ACTION IS PENDING.—If the Commis-
sion or the Attorney General of the United States 
has instituted a civil action for violation of this 
section (referred to in this subparagraph as the 
‘‘Federal action’’), no State attorney general, of-
ficial, or agency may bring an action under this 
subsection during the pendency of the Federal ac-
tion against any defendant named in the com-
plaint in the Federal action for any violation of 
this section alleged in such complaint. 
(4) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—For purposes of 
bringing a civil action under this subsection, nothing 
in this section may be construed to prevent an attor-
ney general, official, or agency of a State from exer-
cising the powers conferred on the attorney general, 
official, or agency by the laws of such State to con-
duct investigations, administer oaths and affirma-
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tions, or compel the attendance of witnesses or the 
production of documentary and other evidence. 
(d) ONE NATIONAL STANDARD.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A State, or political subdivi-
sion of a State, may not maintain, enforce, prescribe, 
or continue in effect any law, rule, regulation, re-
quirement, standard, or other provision having the 
force and effect of law of the State, or political sub-
division of the State, that requires an online dating 
service provider to notify, prohibits an online dating 
service provider from notifying, or otherwise affects 
the manner in which an online dating service pro-
vider is required or permitted to notify, a member of 
the online dating service that the member has received 
a message from or sent a message to a banned mem-
ber through the online dating service. 
(2) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—This subsection 
may not be construed to preempt any law of a State 
or political subdivision of a State relating to con-
tracts or torts. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) BANNED MEMBER.—The term ‘‘banned mem-
ber’’ means a member of an online dating service 
whose account or profile on the online dating service 
is the subject of a fraud ban. 
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(2) 
COMMISSION.—The 
term 
‘‘Commission’’ 
means the Federal Trade Commission. 
(3) FRAUD BAN.—The term ‘‘fraud ban’’ means 
the termination or suspension of the account or pro-
file of a member of an online dating service because, 
in the judgment of the online dating service provider, 
there is a significant risk the member will attempt to 
obtain money from another member through fraudu-
lent means. 
(4) MEMBER.—The term ‘‘member’’ means an 
individual who— 
(A) submits to an online dating service pro-
vider the information required by the provider to 
establish an account or profile on the online dat-
ing service; and 
(B) is allowed by the provider to establish 
such an account or profile. 
(5) ONLINE DATING SERVICE.—The term ‘‘online 
dating service’’ means a service that— 
(A) is provided through a website or a mo-
bile application; and 
(B) offers members access to dating or ro-
mantic relationships with other members by ar-
ranging or facilitating the social introduction of 
members. 
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(6) ONLINE
DATING
SERVICE
PROVIDER.—The 
term ‘‘online dating service provider’’ means a person 
engaged in the business of offering an online dating 
service. 
(7) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each State 
of the United States, the District of Columbia, each 
commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United 
States, and each federally recognized Indian Tribe. 
(f) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take effect on 
the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of 
this Act. 
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Union Calendar No. 521 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6125 
[Report No. 118–623] 
A BILL 
To require online dating service providers to pro-
vide fraud ban notifications to online dating serv-
ice members, and for other purposes. 
JULY 30, 2024 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
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