While love is in the air, so are some potential Valentine day scams.
These holiday heartbreakers are in this for your money, and not for you, so be aware of their tricks!
The scammers tend to engage with their potential victims via social media, dating applications, messaging applications, or unsolicited “wrong number” text messages.
The scammer may also offer photos or videos to reassure the victim that they are a “real person.” The scammer may also claim to be abroad for work or vacation, which is why they cannot meet the victim on person.
As this fake relationship evolves, the scammer entices the victim to send personal or financial information, money, gift cards, or electronic devices.
This could go as far as the scammer asking the victim to send money for travel expenses with promises of “meeting in person,” business expenses, or investment opportunities.
The scammer may also ask the victim to send expensive items like laptops and phones to various addresses in and out of the state, claiming that it’s needed to help a “child in school.” It’s also common to be asked for gift cards, and send pictures of the codes.
Ai is something that has really changed the scamming game too. Scammers can engineer fake personalities and images using technology, which can appear to be very convincing.
Afraid your new Valentine might actually be a scam? Here are some good things to keep in mind to keep yourself safe.
Never open a bank account or start a business account on behalf of someone else, never send money to someone else or behalf of someone else. And above everything, never share your personal or financial information, especially with someone you’ve never met.
