Its that time of year again, love is in the air! But, so are scammers attempting to use your heart for money. Especially if you meet someone online.
Mcafee, a cybersecurity company, advises mindfulness with online relationships. The company says scammers create these relationships to build up trust, sometimes talking or chatting several times a day. Then, they make up a story and ask for money.
Data from Mcafee's 2026 Valentine's Day research shows 1 in 7 American adults (15%) say they have lost money to an online dating or romance scam.
The cost of losses varied widely between age groups. Adults ages 35 to 44 were among the most likely to report higher losses, over $5,000, while younger Gen Z victims reported smaller losses under $500. And of the people who’ve lost money to an online dating scam, just 1 in 4 (24%) were able to recover all their losses.
According to Mcafee, more than half of Americans say they have been asked to send money or share financial information by a potential romantic partner, often through payment apps, wire transfers, gift cards, QR codes, or cryptocurrency.
The best way to avoid these types of scams is to never give money to anyone you haven't met in person. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) cautions about red flags that could be used to target you such as:
- If the individual seems too perfect or quickly asks you to leave a dating service or social media site to communicate directly.
- If the individual attempts to isolate you from friends and family or requests inappropriate photos or financial information that could later be used to extort you.
- If the individual promises to meet in person but then always comes up with an excuse why he or she can’t. If you haven’t met the person after a few months, for whatever reason, you have good reason to be suspicious.
You can scammers to the FBI by visiting this link.
