INDIANAPOLIS — If love is in the air this Valentine’s Day, you need to make sure it’s not actually something fishy in the form of a scam.
1. Some of the worst and most common Valentine’s Day scams involve the false promise of romance. Dating scams cost Americans more than a billion dollars a year. The experts at Scamicide say you should be very suspicious of somebody you meet online who immediately says they’re in love with you and then starts asking for money.
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2. You also need to be on the lookout for fake florist websites, where scammers send out emails with good deals on a dozen roses from a local shop. However, if you click the link in the email or social media add, it will take you to a malicious site designed to steal your information or invade your computer. It’s better to find a flower shop on your own rather than following a risky email or social media ad.
3. Sadly these days, you also have to be careful with e-cards. If it’s from an anonymous sender, like “an admirer,” don’t even bother with it. If you recognize the name of the sender, it’s a good idea to confirm with them they sent it before you click.
4. A common delivery scam involves somebody sending you a gift basket of wine and flowers. The person delivering it says they need a small payment because alcohol is being delivered. However, they won’t take cash and need your credit card. When you hand over your credit or debit card, they’ll take down the information and start running up charges.
“There is no special delivery charge for alcohol,” Scamicide stated. “So if someone requires a payment for such a delivery and on top of that won’t accept cash, merely decline the gift.”
