"Valentine's Day Alert: How to Spot and Avoid Online Romance Scams"

As Valentine's Day approaches, the risk of falling victim to online dating scams increases, with scammers using bots and AI to create fake profiles and manipulate victims into sending money. Research shows a significant rise in bot attacks on dating apps, and in 2022, nearly 70,000 people reported falling victim to romance scams, resulting in $1.3 billion in losses. Warning signs of a potential scam include overly formal messages, inconsistent information, odd communication patterns, unrealistic photos, and requests for money. Experts advise using online tools to detect AI-generated messages and conducting image searches to verify profile pictures.