TEMPLE, Texas — Valentine's Day may be a celebration of love, but some scammers have more sinister intentions during the holiday.
"In the year 2020 alone, the FBI received 19,000 complaints totaling $740 million, but those are just the complaints that the FBI receives," said Steven Shapiro, Supervisory Special Agent, Federal Bureau of Investigations.
If you think you may be the victim of a scam, file a report with the Better Business Bureau.
Relationship expert Cathy Bronza says that for single people, desperation for a partner can lead some to settle.
"It's not intentional. It's the opposite of intentional dating," said Bronza. "It's putting oneself out there in sort of an open and vulnerable way to say that 'Anything goes, I just want to have somebody by my side'."
When single people settle, they may be putting themselves in the crosshairs of a scammer, especially when using dating apps or online dating.
The FBI says you should move slowly and ask lots of questions when you first match with someone online. You should also beware if the individual seems too perfect. If a suiter is attempting to isolate you from friends and family, that is a red flag as well.
"A concern to us are victims that are seniors," said Shapiro. "They may be living on a fixed income. They may be isolated or lonely."
The Federal Trade Commission has also warned dating app users. They say a person should be alerted by users who can't meet in real life, people who ask for money and people who tell you how to pay them. All these things are red flags according to the FTC.
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