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Valentine's Day

Friday, February 14, 2025, All day

Make sure that your Valentine is not a scammer! Valentine's Day is the perfect time to learn more about Romance Scams to make sure you avoid becoming a victim of this type of scam.

Per the National Cybersecurity Alliance; Almost a third of Americans said they used an online dating service or app according to a recent Pew survey, and 10% of people in a relationship said that they met their partner online. These stats are even higher for younger people. Unfortunately, though, all this online romance creates opportunities for scammers. Ick! 

What is a Romance Scam? 

Romance scams are also called sweetheart scams, which refer to scams involving online dating. Essentially, a bad actor creates a fake online profile, fires up the charm, and attempts to stir up romantic feelings in potential victims. After some not-so-innocent flirtation, eventually, the scammer asks for money.   

Pay attention to red flags 

Romance scammers try to be as convincing as possible, which can now include using artificial intelligence-powered deepfake video or audio technology. Still, many cybercriminals follow a similar scammy pattern. Look out for some red flags when cybersurfing for love:  

  • The person requests money for urgent matters, such as medical expenses or a plane ticket to see you. Never send money to someone you haven’t met in person.  
  • The person requests hard-to-track forms of payment, like pre-loaded gift cards.  
  • The person claims to live far away from you, often in a foreign country. They might also say they are in the military and serving overseas.  
  • The person breaks promises to see you in person. 
  • The person wants to push the conversation from the dating app to other messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Signal, or Telegram. 
  • The relationship feels like it is moving very fast.  
Break up with scammers 

If you suspect you or a loved one are the victim of a romance scams, take action:  

  • Immediately stop communicating with the scammer.  
  • Note any identifiable information you may have on them, such as their email address or phone number. Take screenshots and write down any contact information.  
  • Contact your bank or credit card company if you’ve been scammed out of money. 
  • File a report with your local police department.  
  • Report the scam to the FTC and the FBI.
  • Alert the website, platform, or app where you met the scammer. They might have more information on the scammer that can help investigators. 

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Dating or Defrauding? Protect Yourself Against Romance Scams With Help From the Government

According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), in 2020 alone, people who experienced romance scams lost over $600M. Romance scammers target people looking for love on dating apps and social media. But how can you tell the difference between dating or defrauding?

Explore the ‘Dating or Defrauding?’ landing page for more information.

https://connect.usa.gov/dating-or-defrauding


Additional Resources:

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency - https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/alerts/2020/02/14/be-cautious-romance-scams

Federal Bureau of Investigation - https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/romance-scams

Federal Trade Commission - https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-romance-scams

National Cybersecurity Alliance - https://www.staysafeonline.org/articles/online-romance-scams

United States Postal Inspection Service - https://www.uspis.gov/news/scam-article/romance-scam

United States Secret Service - https://www.secretservice.gov/investigation/romancescams

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - https://www.ice.gov/features/LoveOnline