Ah, Valentine’s Day—the season of love, chocolates, and… scams? Yep, that’s right. While millions of people are busy planning romantic surprises, online scammers are setting up traps to take advantage of the holiday rush. From fake jewellery deals to dodgy online flower shops, Valentine’s Day scams are more common than you’d think.
So, how can you protect yourself and your wallet while finding the perfect gift? Let’s go through some of the most common scams and how you can avoid them.
1. The Too-Good-To-Be-True Valentine’s Deal
We all love a good bargain, but if an online shop is selling luxury perfumes, designer jewellery, or expensive chocolates at unbelievably low prices, something isn’t right. Scammers create fake websites or social media ads that offer massive discounts to lure people in. These fraudulent sellers often use high-pressure tactics, making you feel like you must act quickly before the deal disappears. However, these deals are nothing more than elaborate schemes to trick unsuspecting buyers. Falling for such scams could mean losing your money and your personal information to cybercriminals.
How to Spot the Scam:
Scammers rely on deceptive websites and social media ads that appear professional but contain subtle red flags. Always scrutinise the details before making a purchase.
- The website is full of spelling mistakes and poor-quality images.
- It lacks proper contact details (no phone number or address).
- The URL looks slightly “off”—for example, instead of “luxurywatches.com”, it might be “luxurywatches-shop.net”.
- They only accept bank transfers or cryptocurrency (no credit card or PayPal options).
How to Stay Safe:
Avoid falling for these scams by verifying the legitimacy of online stores before making a purchase. Before you make any transactions, take a few minutes to follow these tips to avoid this common Valentine’s Day scam:
- Always check online reviews before buying from a new shop.
- Stick to well-known retailers or brands.
- Use a credit card or PayPal for extra payment protection.
2. Fake Flower Delivery Services
Flowers are one of the most popular gifts on Valentine’s Day, which makes them a perfect target for scammers. Fake flower delivery services are one of the biggest Valentine’s Day scams. Fraudsters capitalise on the rush of last-minute shoppers by creating convincing advertisements that promise fast delivery at heavily discounted rates. If a flower delivery website seems unfamiliar, take the time to confirm that it is legitimate before placing an order.
How to Spot the Scam:
These fake services mimic legitimate florists, but there are key warning signs to watch for before placing an order.
- Prices are ridiculously low compared to well-known florists.
- The website is newly created (you can check this using Whois Lookup).
- They ask for personal details that seem unnecessary, like your date of birth.
How to Stay Safe:
Stick to trusted sources and take extra steps to confirm the legitimacy of an online florist. Doing a simple online search for customer reviews or complaints can prevent you from falling victim to these scams.
- Buy from trusted florists or big retailers.
- Call the company before placing an order to check if they exist.
- Look for “https” in the website URL—this means the site is secure.
3. The Valentine’s Day Romance Scam
Valentine’s Day romance scams are especially cruel. Romance scammers create fake profiles on dating apps and social media, pretending to be someone they’re not. They build a connection, gain your trust, and then suddenly have a “financial emergency”—maybe they need money for a medical bill, travel costs, or a business problem. Unfortunately, many people have lost large sums of money (£94.7 million lost to romance scams in 2023 alone) by trusting individuals who were never genuine.
How to Spot the Scam:
These scams rely on emotional manipulation and a sense of urgency. Be cautious of these red flags:
- The person moves very fast—expressing deep feelings within days or weeks.
- Their background details, job, or life events don’t add up or change over time.
- They always have an excuse for why they need money urgently.
How to Stay Safe:
Protect yourself by staying sceptical of online relationships that develop too quickly. Scammers often use stolen photos and create elaborate backstories to gain your trust.
- Take the time to verify the person’s identity and claims of financial struggle.
- Avoid sending money, gift cards, or cryptocurrency to someone you haven’t met in person.
- Discuss your online relationship with someone you trust for a second opinion; it might help you put things in perspective.
Planning to Meet Someone in Person?
Valentine’s Day is often a good opportunity to plan in-person dates with prospects you might have met online. Unfortunately, not all of those prospects will have good intentions for wanting to meet you. Here’s what you should know:
- Avoid inviting anyone to your house. Plan the date at a public, crowded venue.
- Give whatever contact information you have for the person to a trusted friend and share your location.
- Use public transportation to get to and from the venue. Avoid getting rides from strangers.
Recommended Reading: Learn our 7 essential safety tips to ensure a fun and memorable Valentine’s Day whether at home or outside.
4. Catfishing Scams
Catfishing scams involve fraudsters creating fake identities online to build deceptive relationships, often with the goal of manipulating victims into sending money or personal information. More than 22% of Brits have reportedly experienced catfishing, making this a prevalent scam you should be wary of. These scams are especially common around Valentine’s Day when people are more likely to seek romantic connections. Scammers take advantage of emotions, loneliness, and trust to exploit victims financially and psychologically.
How to Spot the Scam:
Catfishers often follow a predictable pattern to deceive their targets. Look out for these warning signs:
- The person moves very fast—expressing deep feelings within days or weeks.
- They refuse to meet in person or video call.
- They always have an excuse for why they need money urgently.
How to Stay Safe:
There are many ways to ensure you don’t fall victim to a catfishing scam. Here are some of them:
- Avoid privately meeting or sending money to anyone you don’t know in real life.
- Reverse-image search any pictures they share to confirm their identity.
- Be cautious if they seem too perfect—real people have flaws!
5. Social Media Shopping Scams
Scammers run fake advertisements on social media platforms, promoting discounted Valentine’s gifts, romantic getaways, or personalised items. These ads often link to fraudulent websites that look legitimate but either never deliver the product or send low-quality imitations. In some cases, victims also have their payment details stolen and used for unauthorised transactions.
How to Spot the Scam
Scammers use misleading ads to trick people into making purchases. Be cautious of:
- Ads with prices that seem unrealistically low compared to similar products elsewhere.
- Ads or sponsored posts by very new accounts or accounts containing no contact details, return policy, or business history.
- Advertisers with overly generic customer reviews or no reviews at all.
How to Stay Safe
Taking a few precautions can save you from falling victim to hundreds of pounds worth of Valentine’s Day scams. Here’s how to stay safe from fraudulent social media ads around Valentine’s Day:
- Look for reviews on independent websites and search the business name with words like “scam” or “fraud.”
- Avoid ads by pages that were recently created or don’t offer much detail.
- Pay with a credit or debit card for buyer protection rather than making direct bank transfers or gift card payments.
6. Phishing Scams
Phishing scams are among the most common and dangerous Valentine’s Day scams, with over 32 million phishing emails reported to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service in 2023. The goal of phishing is to make you visit a website, which may download a virus onto your computer, or steal bank details or other personal information.
To accomplish this, cybercriminals use phishing emails and text messages to impersonate trusted companies, claiming to offer Valentine’s discounts, free gift cards, or even e-cards from a “secret admirer.” Clicking on links in these messages can lead to fake websites designed to steal login credentials, personal information, or even install malware on your device.
How to Spot the Scam
Phishing messages often try to create a sense of urgency or excitement to get you to act quickly. Look out for:
- Emails or texts from unknown senders claiming you’ve won a prize or received a surprise gift.
- Messages with poor grammar, misspellings, or suspicious-looking links.
- Messages with a lot of urgency—e.g. “Act now! Your gift card expires in 2 hours!”
- Requests for personal information or payment details through email.
How to Stay Safe
By staying vigilant, you can avoid giving scammers access to your personal data:
- Never click links in suspicious emails—visit the retailer’s official website directly.
- Look closely at email addresses for inconsistencies or misspellings.
- Verify any deals being promised with the retailer’s official website or social media.
- Enable spam filters and multi-factor authentication to protect your accounts.
Stay Informed and Protect Yourself
Scammers are constantly coming up with new ways to take advantage of unsuspecting victims, especially around holidays like Valentine’s Day. By staying informed and recognising the warning signs, you can protect yourself and your loved ones from falling prey to these schemes.
For more expert security tips, read other guides on Safety Hub—your go-to platform for safety advice about navigating everyday life, different occasions, and events in the UK.
