Online romance fraud has become a global phenomenon. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the US, romance scams accounted for losses to about 24,000 Americans, exceeding US$1 billion, in 2022.

Over the course of the last year, 127 romance scams were reported to the PSNI, with the victims reporting a combined loss of more than £1m between them. Some of them lost a few hundred pounds but others lost more than £100,000.

The BBB is warning lovebirds or those searching for their special person to remain vigilant about online shopping scams.

With online romance scams on the rise, McAfee urges daters to be extra cautious and offers the following advice that will help you avoid scams

Islanders lost about £406,000 last year from romance scams, Jersey police have said. Recent figures from the police showed five cases had been reported in Jersey in 2024, compared to three cases the year before.

Tina Martin the First Vice President of Security and Fraud Investigations from FIU tells Breana Pitts how to avoid being scammed out of money when you're looking for love online.

True love is in the air this Valentine’s Day, so are scams preying on those looking for it. Romance scams are a form of online fraud where scammers create fake personas to establish a romantic connection with their victims.