Valentine's Day is near, red hearts seem to be everywhere you turn, and love is in the air -- and online.
However, the FBI is warning about possible romance scams that could have you seeing a different kind of red.
According to the FBI website, romance scams happen when someone, using a fake online identity and manipulates another person into believing they're a romantic or close relationship.
The scammer uses that relationship to ultimately con the unsuspecting victim out of money.
"There's a number of criminals out there that who are really well rehearsed at this and try to take advantage of different opportunities where they can gain access to people's financial assets or to their personally identifiable information," Joe Rothrock, Assistant Special Agent in Charge with the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office, told KDKA Radio's Shelby Cassesse.
"At this time of year, what we see are a lot of romance scams where people try to start new relationships, build trust and then leverage that trust, leverage those relationships to gain access to those financial assets," said Rothrock.
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In additional to the isolation people have experienced over the last year caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Rothrock says there are a number of other factors have contributed to an increase in these so-called romance scams, such as the growing prevalence of social media, dating apps, chat rooms and sites like that set up to establish these types of relationships.
"And what we do see is that this is an ever-growing problem. It's increased significantly over the last five years, every year. I think this year, specifically what we saw was more than 23,000 victims nationwide and more than $600 million in total loss."
In western Pennsylvania, the number of victims jumped from 3,600 in 2019 to 5,700 in 2020 and a loss of over $20 million.
So how do you avoid getting caught up in a scam like these?
"One of the first things we would suggest you do it to make sure you proceed cautiously with these types of relationships." Rothrock explained, "Research the photos and profiles that are sent to you using online search tools. Make sure you stick to reputable sites, with nationally recognized dating websites.
"Never provide any financial information or personally identifiable information to people you meet online. Don't allow yourself to be isolated when you're starting these types of relationships."
If you suspect you are a victim of a romance scam, Rothrock says you should immediately cease communication. He also suggests that if you've sent financial information or assets, you should immediately notify the associated financial institutions. Additionally, you should notify to your local FBI office and the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (the IC3).
Rothrock says that while some may feel embarrassed at becoming a victim of a scam, he encourages people to report the incident to the authorities. "Recognize that the criminals who are very well-rehearsed professionals - this is what they do for a living - are relying on the fact that you're not going to report this to law enforcement."
Read more about romance scams on the FBI website.
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