Authored by Jill McLaughlin via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Love is in the air, but it might be too good to be true for some hopeful romantics searching for love online, according to the FBI.

The FBI warned dating app surfers ahead of Valentine’s Day to beware of criminals using romance scams.

“The criminals who carry out romance scams are experts at what they do and will seem genuine, caring, and believable,” the FBI said in a statement on Feb. 11. “Con artists are present on most dating and social media sites.”

Scammers want to establish a relationship as quickly as possible, endearing themselves to their victims to gain trust, according to the FBI.

The scammers may propose marriage and make plans to meet in person, but that never happens. Then, they ask for money, the FBI said.

The con artists often claim they work in the building-and-construction industry and are based outside the United States.

“That makes it easier to avoid meeting in person—and more plausible when they ask for money for a medical emergency or unexpected legal fee,” the FBI stated.

If someone asks to meet online and needs bank account information or asks to deposit money, they are most likely using the account information to carry out theft or fraud schemes, the FBI warned.

In one case, Glenda, 81, fell for an online romance scam and landed in custody charged with federal crimes, according to a video on the FBI’s YouTube channel.

Glenda, whose last name was withheld, said in 2014 she met someone online who worked in Nigeria. The scammer said he needed money to leave the country and sent her electronics to pawn and send him the money. She said she eventually fell in love with the scammer and became a money mule.

In 2021, she pled guilty to two federal felonies, according to the video posted by the FBI.

Romance scams are a huge problem, according to AARP.

Reported losses totaled $1.12 billion in 2023, with median losses per person of $2,000. This is the highest reported form of any imposter scam loss, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

A survey in 2023 by the FTC shows the most commonly used lies that romance scammers adopted were:

·      “I or someone close to me is sick, hurt, or in jail.”

·      “I can teach you how to invest.”

·      “I’m in the military or far away.”

·      “I need help with an important delivery.”

·      “We’ve never met … but let’s talk about marriage.”

·      “I’ve come into some money or gold.”

·      “I’m on an oil rig or ship.”

·      “You can trust me with your private pictures.”

The FBI advises people to search for photos and profiles online to see whether the image, names, and details appear elsewhere.

The agency also suggests asking many questions, being suspicious, and never sending money to anyone without meeting them in person.