SPD warns of ‘romance scams’ as Valentine’s Day approaches

Seattle Police are issuing a reminder as Valentine’s Day approaches to make sure you’re keeping yourself safe from dating app scammers.

According to the FBI, “In a confidence fraud or romance scam, an individual believing they are in a trusting relationship, whether family, friendly, or romantic, is tricked into sending money or personal information to the scammer.”

The Seattle Police Department is working with Chase Bank for a community workshop on Feb. 12 to raise awareness about scams.

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Scammers work to gain trust while creating a fake persona to establish a close relationship with the potential victim. This trust can result in the victim disclosing sensitive financial information or outright paying the person on the other end.

The Federal Trade Commission says romance scam victims lost more than $1 billion in 2023 and more than $800 million in 2024. A 2023 AARP report found older Americans are also particularly vulnerable to financial exploitation, in general, and cases are underreported. The organization discovered criminals steal an estimated $28.3 billion from seniors each year, Seattle Police reported.

Here are some tips from the FBI to help make sure you don’t fall for a scam this Valentine’s Day (and every day):

• Think twice before you share personal information online. Scammers can use details shared on dating sites and social media platforms to better target victims.
• If you try online dating, only use dating sites with well-known reputations. Search people’s photos and profiles online to see if anyone has used the names, images, or information elsewhere.
• Take the relationship slow and ask lots of questions.
• Beware if the person quickly asks you to leave a dating app or social media platform to go “offline” — or tries to isolate you from friends and family.
• Never send money, cryptocurrency, or gift cards to anyone you’ve only communicated with online or by phone.
• Be particularly cautious if the person you’re communicating with is overseas — oftentimes scammers use overseas construction or military jobs as an excuse to not be able to meet in person.
• Scammers can fabricate things like medical emergencies that they need money to pay for, or if wanting to meet in person, request the victim pay for their airfare and travel up front. The Federal Trade Commission also says it’s important to learn about investment scams, such as when someone claims they have a secret method to make money. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission warned in 2024 that, “investors should know that bad actors are using the growing popularity and complexity of AI to lure victims into scams.”

“Remember: Scammers never stop trying and their work can seem personal and tailored to the victim. Whether it’s a text message, phone call, email or another form of communication, the damage can be devastating. If you think someone is a scammer, cut them off immediately and report the activity to the authorities and your financial institutions. Do not be ashamed,” SPD said.

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You can report these scams using these websites:

FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center: IC3.gov

Federal Trade Commission: ReportFraud.ftc.gov