According to the National Retail Federation, consumer spending for Valentine’s Day is projected to reach $27.5 billion this year, nearly $2 billion more than last year.
Courtesy of the Chicago Botanic Garden

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) warns about a surge in Valentine’s Day scams that can steal your money and identity.

In addition to romance scams, consumers should exercise caution with Valentine’s Day-related online shopping. According to the National Retail Federation, consumer spending for Valentine’s Day is projected to reach $27.5 billion this year, nearly $2 billion more than last year.

With the increase in Valentine’s Day shopping, consumers must remain vigilant against online shopping scams, particularly those involving fake websites for flower deliveries and jewelry stores. The BBB has received numerous reports of shoppers who were scammed when ordering flowers from an online florist.

“Romance scams operate when con artists create heartfelt stories and post fabulous, dreamy pictures in fake online social media profiles to snare you,” said Steve Bernas, BBB president and CEO. “Don’t fall for it. Most romance scams start with fake profiles on online dating sites created by stealing photos and text from real accounts or elsewhere.”

Targets may see a promising match — good-looking, intelligent, funny, and personable. This potential mate claims to live in another part of the country or to be abroad for business or military deployment. But they seem smitten and eager to get to know you better and suggest you move your relationship to a private channel.

This is when the fraudster learns about the target’s life and builds trust. This stage can go on for months. It may include daily texts or messages. Some scammers even send flowers and small gifts. This also is when scammers may request small favors. They are testing the waters to see how open the target ultimately may be to helping the fraudster when an “emergency” pops up and the scam kicks into high gear.

Romance scammers take advantage of those hoping to establish a connection and gain sympathy. Once they’ve gotten you on the hook with a sad story, they begin pursuing their true goal — money.

“A person can lose thousands of dollars, and they’re often left feeling betrayed because they believed they’d found a good partner,” Bernas said. “Along with asking for money, the other major tipoff to the rip-off is scammers always make excuses why they can’t ever meet in person and usually refuse even a video meeting because profiles they use online are completely fabricated.”

Similar methods may be used to build fake online dating platforms. The site asks you to fill out a profile with your personal information. This includes your credit card number used to pay for your membership. However, when browsing other users’ profiles, you notice red flags. Members who contact you have incomplete profiles that lack photos and other essential information. You may also see that profiles frequently vanish from the site — even after you’ve chatted with them.

How to spot fake dating websites

• Do your research before you sign up. Do an internet search of the dating website’s name along with the words “reviews” and “scams.” Look carefully for negative reports or past users who suspect the website is fake.

• Make sure you understand how the website works. It’s not entirely unusual to pay a monthly fee or small fees for individual connections to dating services, but be sure the website is up front about how their payment system works. If the payment system isn’t well-documented or you find it confusing, choose another dating service instead.

• If it’s too good to be true, don’t believe it! For example, it’s probably a scam if you haven’t completed your profile and people are lining up to meet you. The same goes for individuals who make unrealistic claims about their love and devotion for you — especially if you just met online.

• Use your credit card to pay for online services and memberships. When you pay with your credit card, you can dispute any unauthorized charges or charges made for fake services. The same may not be true if you use your debit card or give a company your banking information, such as your account number and bank’s routing number.

• Never give money or personal information to a stranger. Some con artists will ask you for money to buy a flight to visit you or for some other “noble” reason. If someone you’ve never met in person starts asking you for information like credit card, bank, or government ID numbers, cut off contact immediately.

Tips to avoid romance scams

• Research your date. Many scammers steal photos from the internet to use in their dating profiles. You can do a reverse image lookup using a website like Google Images to see if the photos on a profile are stolen from somewhere else. You also can search online for a profile name, email, or phone number to see what doesn’t add up.

• Ask specific questions about details given in a profile. A scammer may stumble over remembering details or making a story fit.

• Take it slow. A red flag is someone who wants to get serious very quickly and not meet first. Take your time to get to know your match and ensure they are who they say they are.

If you have encountered a scam, even if there is no money loss, report it to BBB Scamtracker.