FBI issues warning on romance scams ahead of Valentine's Day

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The FBI is issuing a warning about the rise of online romance scams, and how AI is playing a role, just in time for Valentine's Day

For victims, romance schemes can be emotionally and financially devastating.

Scammers target people of any age and any demographic.

Authorities tell us the perpetrators often first connect with victims on social media, through email or text message, or even on popular dating apps.

That was the case for "Angela" who sat down with our Investigative Team in 2021 after falling victim,

"He came off very believable," she said.

She told us a man she met on the dating site Bumble deployed an elaborate scheme to bilk her out of $20,000.

"They're professional scammers and they really hone their craft, and they know what to say to sound like the person that sounds absolutely perfect," said Alex Hamerstone with TrustedSec.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, romance schemes cost victims more than $1 billion in 2023.

"Now what we're seeing is a combination of romance and investment scams as well, also known as pig butchering scams," said Cliff Steinhauer with National Security Alliance.

The ruse can start with a text or email.

"Like hey, it was great to see you last week," said Steinhauer. "And then it's like, you know, you never heard of this person. And they just try to strike up a conversation with you."

Once a relationship begins, the person will eventually claim to need money for some kind of emergency like the death of loved one, a family injury or illness. Other ploys include their own car accident, hospitalization or even an immigration or legal issue.

Artificial intelligence is making the scams harder to spot, helping cybercriminals act with authenticity by masquerading as real people with realistic voices they can use to talk to victims on the phone.

"And so, the AI has really allowed these scammers to do a better job with their messaging," said Hamerstone. "The other thing is with AI, it's really simple to create an image."

Including a fake profile picture or ID.

But experts said there are still red flags.

First, be wary if someone you haven't even met yet, asks to move the conversation off the original platform you met them on or if a love interest always has an excuse for why she or he can't do a video call or meet in person.

And be aware these perpetrators often play the long game by building a friendship. They often wait months into an online relationship before asking for the money and then continue the scam for as long as possible, all while banking on the fact that victims are often in denial or too embarrassed to come forward.

The FBI said you can report a romance scam to its Internet Crime Complaint Center.