Don't get catfished this Valentine's Day! Watch out for these romance scam signs

Love is in the air!

But how do you know whether the person you’ve met online is who they say they are?

For Valentine’s Day, consider giving your sweetheart a background check.

According to Social Catfish, a company dedicated to preventing online scams through reverse search technology, romance scams surge around Valentine’s Day.

In Washington, D.C. alone, they said they know of 60 victims in 2021 that altogether lost more than $800,000.

There are three signs to watch out for, including the following:

• If your love interest seems too good to be true. Scammers will steal photos and even videos from models. Make sure the person you’re corresponding with is actually who they say they are.
• Be careful if someone says they’re in love with you but they’ve never met you. Scammers come up with all kinds of excuses about why they cannot meet in person.
• If they’re asking for money, it’s a red flag. Scammers will pretend to have a medical emergency or a problem with their bank account. They may even ask you to send them monetary gifts in the form of gift cards of crypto.

One of the best things you can do to protect yourself is to avoid giving money to anyone you meet online.