VIDEO CONSUMER ALERT: AG Moody Issues Tips for Floridians to Protect Hearts and Wallets This Valentine’s Day

View PDF
Release Date
Feb 14, 2024
Contact
Kylie Mason
Phone
(850) 245-0150

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—On Valentine’s Day, Attorney General Ashley Moody is cautioning Floridians about romance scams. As more people use online-dating platforms and social media to connect with potential partners, fraudsters may try to trick users with romance scams. Reports show that Floridians lost more than $85 million to romance scams in 2022.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Valentine’s Day is an occasion to spend time with someone you love. However, if you’re still looking for companionship through online dating, there are reasons to be cautious. I’m issuing tips to help Floridians guard their hearts and wallets against romance scams.”

Romance scammers may create fake dating profiles to attract targets. Many schemes involve romance scammers sharing fake stories about financial hardships while begging a target for help. Unfortunately, these fabricated stories are almost always plots for a romance scammer to steal personal information or money.

Attorney General Moody offers the following tips to avoid falling prey to romance scams:

  • Be skeptical of anyone professing love or devotion surprisingly fast, as this may be a tactic to manipulate emotions and gain trust;
  • Know that legitimate users of online-dating platforms typically have verified accounts with photos and detailed profiles;
  • Ask detailed questions and pay attention to see if answers seem suspicious or contradict prior information;
  • Only agree to meet up with a love interest in public locations for safety;
  • Be cautious chatting to anyone claiming to be overseas on business, especially if the person consistently avoids face-to-face meetings or video calls; and
  • Never send money to strangers.

For more information about romance scams, view Attorney General Moody’s Scams at a Glance: Swindling Sweethearts resource by clicking here.

To view Attorney General Moody’s Scams at a Glance: Swindling Sweethearts resource in Spanish, click here.

To report romance scams, contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center by clicking here or by visiting the Federal Trade Commission’s Report Fraud website here.

# # #

The Florida Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division issues Consumer Alerts to inform Floridians of emerging scams, new methods used to commit fraud, increased reports of common scams or any other deceptive practice. Consumer Alerts are designed to notify Floridians about scams and available refunds in an effort to prevent financial losses or other harm caused by deceptive practices. Anyone encountering a scam should report the incident to the Florida Attorney General's Office by calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM or visiting MyFloridaLegal.com.