FBI warning about romance scams ahead of Valentine's Day

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- As Valentine's Day approaches, the FBI is warning people to be on alert for potential romance scams.

Officials say criminals prey on people who are seeking companionship through online dating.

If you connect with someone online, experts want you to remember to think twice before sharing personal information and never send money to anyone you've only communicated with online or by phone.

They also suggest you take things slow and ask a lot of questions.

One big red flag: if someone promises to meet in person, and always finds an excuse to postpone it.