PHOENIX — As Valentine’s Day approaches, Attorney General Kris Mayes is warning Arizonans to beware of romance scams—a growing form of fraud where scammers pose as love interests to steal money and personal information.
“We all love love—but often, the person on the other end of a dating app or website is really a scammer,” said Attorney General Mayes. “These fraudsters are skilled at gaining trust and exploiting emotions to convince victims to send them money. I encourage Arizonans to recognize the warning signs of romance scams to protect both their hearts and their bank accounts.”
How Romance Scammers Operate
Fraudsters create fake online profiles on dating apps, social media platforms, and websites to target victims. They build a false sense of trust, often chatting multiple times a day, before eventually making an urgent financial request.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, some of the most common lies used by romance scammers include:
- Claiming a friend or relative is sick, hurt, or in jail and needs money.
- Offering too-good-to-be-true investment advice.
- Pretending to be in the military or working overseas.
- Asking for money to cover an important delivery or travel costs.
Warning Signs of a Romance Scam
🚩 Someone who quickly professes their love or strong feelings.
🚩 Someone who claims to be a heroic figure, such as a soldier, stationed far away.
🚩 Someone who continuously cancels plans to meet in person.
🚩 Someone who suddenly requests money for an emergency.
🚩 Someone who asks for money via wire transfer, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or payment apps.
How to Protect Yourself
✅ Never send money to someone you’ve only met online.
✅ Be cautious about sharing personal details on social media—scammers use this information to target victims.
✅ Look for inconsistencies in their stories or backgrounds.
✅ Talk to family or friends if you suspect something is off.
✅ Trust your instincts—if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
✅ If you suspect a scam, cut off all contact immediately.
Report a Romance Scam
If you believe you have been targeted, you can:
📌 File a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov.
📌 Report consumer fraud to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office at www.azag.gov/consumer or call:
- Phoenix: (602) 542-5763
- Tucson: (520) 628-6648
- Outside metro areas: (800) 352-8431
By staying vigilant, Arizonans can protect themselves from scammers looking to take advantage of trust and emotions during the season of love.
