February is here, and with Valentine's Day approaching, love is in the air - and online. But while people are searching for romance, cybercriminals are hunting for their next victim. Romance scams aren’t just a personal threat; they’re also a serious business risk. As employees blur the lines between personal and work device usage, scammers see an opportunity to infiltrate networks, steal credentials, and drain bank accounts. A single compromised account or financial scam can put an individual or an entire business at risk. Don’t let cybercriminals turn hearts - and your company’s security - into their next target.
Almost a third of Americans said they used an online dating service or app according to a recent Pew survey - that’s around 100 million people! - and 10% of people in a relationship said that they met their partner online. These numbers are even higher among younger generations. Unfortunately, the rise in online romance also means more opportunities for scammers to exploit unsuspecting victims. Yikes!
What is a Romance Scam?
A romance scam is a type of fraud in which cybercriminals create fake online identities to build emotional relationships with victims, ultimately manipulating them into sending money, sharing personal information, or even unknowingly assisting in criminal activities. These scams often occur on dating apps, social media platforms, or through unsolicited messages, with scammers posing as attractive and trustworthy individuals. Scammers craft convincing fake profiles and lay on the charm, expertly building trust to manipulate their targets. Once trust is established, they fabricate emergencies, investment opportunities, or travel expenses to convince their victims to send funds or provide access to sensitive information - sometimes even compromising business accounts if work and personal device use overlap.
Stay Alert For The Red Flags
Romance scammers try to be as convincing as possible, which can now include using artificial intelligence-powered deepfake video or audio technology - yes, they’re very up to date on the latest tech! Yet, many cybercriminals rely on the same deceptive tactics. Keep an eye out for these warning signs when searching for love online:
- The person requests money for urgent matters, such as medical expenses or a plane ticket to see you. Never send money to someone you haven’t met in person.
- The person requests hard-to-track forms of payment, like pre-loaded gift cards. Always be suspicious whenever someone asks for gift cards!
- The person often claims to live far away, frequently in a foreign country. They may also pose as a military member stationed overseas, using this as an excuse for why they can’t meet in person.
- The person repeatedly makes excuses to avoid meeting in person, often canceling plans or delaying visits.
- The person wants to push the conversation from the dating app to other messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Signal, or Telegram.
- The relationship feels like it is moving very fast.

Break Up With Scammers
If you suspect you or a loved one are the victim of a romance scams, take action:
- Immediately Stop Communicating With The Scammer.
- Note Any Identifiable Information You May Have on Them, such as their email address or phone number. Take screenshots and write down any contact information.
- Contact Your Bank or Credit Card Company if you’ve been scammed out of money.
- File A Report with your local police department.
- Report The Scam to the FTC and the FBI. The FBI maintains and Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) where you can file a complaint directly.
- Report The Scammer: Notify the website, platform, or app where you encountered them. They may have additional information that could assist investigators.
The More You Know…
Americans reported losing a heartbreaking $1.3 billion to romance scams in 2022, according to the Federal Trade Commission, and the number is likely higher due to underreporting.
Protect Your Heart - and Your Wallet - From Scammers
By adopting a few privacy habits, you can limit what scammers can learn about you:
- Share With Care: Before posting on social media or dating sites, think about what your content reveals and who might have access to it. Protect your privacy - and others - by being mindful of what you share
- Check Your Settings: Consider setting your social media profiles to “private”. This makes it harder for scammers to target and communicate with you for all types of cyber threats, scams, and identity theft. This way, you’ll limit only approved followers from seeing your posts, preventing strangers and criminals from gathering personal details.
- Think Before You Click: This is a powerful reminder for anytime you’re online. Take a moment to let your rational mind assess the situation before your instinctive, reactive brain leads you to act impulsively. Notice messages that push you for immediate action or ask for personal information. This is a giant red flag for any kind of phishing. Never share personal info via email or text if you do not know the sender well.
- Use Reverse Image Search: Perform a reverse image search on the profile picture of that flirty account. You might discover that the image belongs to someone else entirely or has been used under multiple identities online. If that’s the case, there’s a strong chance the person behind the profile is a scammer.
- TIP: Here’s some quick steps to do a reverse image search:
- Go to Google Images.
- Click the camera icon in the search bar.
- Choose Upload an image and select the file from your device or paste the image URL.
- Google will show matching or similar images found online.
The National Cybersecurity Alliance has great resources available online for educating your team on cybersecurity. Ekaru is a proud champion of the Cybersecurity Awareness Month every October.
And It's Not Just Valentines Day... There's a Scam For Every Time of Year
No one thinks they’ll be the one to fall for a scam, but millions of people are impacted every year. Romance scams, IRS scams, event ticket scams – there’s a scam for everything, and criminals like to hijack the news. The more you, your family, and your employees know about the various types of scams, the less likely you’ll be to fall victim to one.
To show you how creative cyber criminals are, here is a list of the many types of scams the run by season. Educate your team!
Winter & New Year Scams
❄ Holiday Shopping Scams – Fake online stores, counterfeit products, and phishing emails posing as order confirmations.
❄ Charity Scams – Fraudulent charities targeting holiday and disaster relief donations.
❄ New Year’s Resolution Scams – Fake gym memberships, diet programs, or personal finance "investment" scams.
Tax Season (January–April)
💰 Tax Refund & IRS Scams – Phishing emails or calls impersonating the IRS, demanding payments or promising refunds.
💰 W-2 Business Email Compromise (BEC) Scams – Cybercriminals impersonate executives and request employee W-2 information.
Spring Scams
🌸 Travel & Vacation Scams – Fake vacation rentals, airline ticket fraud, and phony travel agencies.
🌸 Home Improvement Scams – Fraudulent contractors soliciting work for seasonal home repairs.
Summer Scams
☀ Job & Internship Scams – Fake job postings that steal personal information or require upfront payments.
☀ Event Ticket Scams – Fraudulent tickets for concerts, festivals, and sporting events.
Back-to-School & Fall Scams
📚 Student Loan & Scholarship Scams – Fraudulent offers promising student loan forgiveness or fake scholarship opportunities.
📚 Tech Support Scams – Scammers posing as IT support, targeting students, teachers, or businesses.
Halloween & Cybersecurity Awareness Month (October)
🎃 Cryptocurrency & Investment Scams – "Too good to be true" crypto or investment opportunities ramp up.
🎃 Scare Tactics & Sextortion Scams – Hackers claim to have hacked your device and demand a ransom.
Holiday Season (November–December)
🎁 Black Friday & Cyber Monday Scams – Fake deals, fraudulent online stores, and phishing scams targeting shoppers.
🎁 Shipping & Delivery Scams – Fake UPS, FedEx, or USPS tracking notifications leading to phishing sites.
Cybercriminals are always scheming up new and clever ways to steal your money, preying on emotions, trust, and even everyday online habits. The best defense? Awareness. The more you know about different scams - whether it’s romance scams, phishing attempts, or business-targeted frau - the better equipped you’ll be to spot red flags and protect yourself. Stay informed, stay cautious, and don’t let scammers win.
Interested in learning more about Cybersecurity Awareness Training for your team? Reach out to us!
About the author:
Ann Westerheim, PhD is the Founder and President of Ekaru, a Technology Service Provider of cybersecurity and IT services for small and medium businesses in the greater Boston area. Ann is an accomplished technology innovator and leader with three engineering degrees from MIT. She has twenty years of high tech experience in research, advanced development, product development, and as an entrepreneur. Her career has spanned a vast range of technology endeavors including research in thin film semiconductors and superconductors, microprocessor fabrication, development of early Internet medical applications, and now focusing on the application of technology in business. She has an avid focus on the "last mile" of technology and decreasing the digital divide.