LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — With Valentine’s Day approaching, scammers are stepping up efforts to exploit emotions, targeting people looking for love, deals, and last-minute gifts.
Cybersecurity experts warn that romance scams and online shopping fraud tend to spike around the holiday, as criminals use increasingly convincing tactics to steal money and personal information.
WATCH | Valentine’s Day scams rise, targeting online daters and last-minute shoppers
Tonya and Frank Evans know their love story isn’t typical, and they know how lucky they are.
“We’re getting married,” the couple said.
Tonya and Frank have been dating for about a year. After getting to know each other, talking on the phone, and spending time with each other’s families, they say they knew their relationship was real.
“It just came together naturally,” Tonya said.
The couple traveled to Las Vegas from Texas and Georgia to tie the knot. They say they never worried about a dating scam because they were introduced through family.
“We met through his cousin and my mom,” Tonya explained.
While their relationship turned out to be legitimate, experts say many others aren’t as fortunate.
Cybersecurity expert Cliff Steinhauer with the National Cybersecurity Alliance says romance scams and fake dating profiles remain among the most common types of fraud, especially around Valentine’s Day.
“Things tend to move quickly,” Steinhauer said. “The person may seem perfect, almost too good to be true. You agree on everything, and they’re extremely affectionate.”
That tactic is known as “love bombing.” Scammers use it to quickly build trust before moving conversations off dating platforms and eventually asking for money, gift cards, or cryptocurrency.
Another major red flag, Steinhauer says, is when someone avoids video calls or meeting in person altogether.
And sometimes, the person on the other end isn’t even real.
Steinhauer says scammers are increasingly using artificial intelligence, bots, and deepfake technology to create realistic profiles, even generating fake audio and video that appear authentic.
“It looks like the real person from the profile,” he said.
But the risks don’t stop with online dating.
Scammers are also targeting shoppers through phishing emails and text messages that appear to come from flower shops, jewelry stores, or delivery companies. These messages often claim there’s a problem with an order or offer last-minute deals designed to create urgency.
“The biggest red flag of all is when money becomes involved,” Steinhauer said. “As soon as someone you’re in a relationship with asks for money, help, or an investment, that’s when the scam really takes off.”
Tonya and Frank say they’re simply grateful their story had a happy ending.
“Some people are really good at what they do,” they said. “And unfortunately, that’s how they make their living.”
Experts say trusting your instincts is key. If something feels off, take time to verify before clicking links, sending money, or sharing personal information, it could save you from heartbreak and financial loss this Valentine’s Day.
