The FBI Has An Important New Valentine’s Day Warning for Idahoans

The “month of love” is in full swing in Idaho. While couples are finalizing their plans for a romantic weekend, many singles are still hoping to find someone to celebrate the holiday with. 

As Valentine’s Day approaches, the FBI is urging Idahoans to slow down and think twice before trusting a new online relationship. Multiple field offices around the country are issuing new warnings about a surge in romance scams targeting victims during the days leading up to Valentine’s Day. 

READ MORE: 13 Dangerous Area Codes Idaho Should Ignore All Calls From 

Romance scams are one of the most financially damaging scams in the United States. Collectively, these scams cost victims hundreds of millions of dollars every year and Idaho residents are not immune. The closest FBI field office in Salt Lake City reports that in 2024, 58 Idahoans admitted they’d been fooled in a romance scam, with combined losses totaling $545,137. 

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The number of victims, however, may actually be much higher. Many people who fall victim to romance scams are too embarrassed to speak up. 

Why Are Romance Scams Surging Right Now?

As we mentioned earlier, it all has to do with timing. Scammers use the holiday to build trust quickly, often reaching out through dating apps or social media. It’s not just people looking for love that they target. In addition to singles, they’ll go after those who are recently widowed or divorced. 

The scammer then smothers their victims with attention and meaningful conversations designed to feel real. Once they feel like they’ve created an unbreakable trust with their victims, crisis strikes. Suddenly, they need money for medical bills, travel costs or an investment opportunity. Often victims naively believe that their new love interest will pay them back and even feel flattered that they could be the person their lover leans on during difficult times. 

Sadly, once money is sent, it’s usually gone for good. 

How Idahoans Can Protect Themselves

The FBI recommends that Idahoans memorize these red flags:

• They refuse to meet in person or video chat
• They move communication off public platforms quickly
• They claim to work overseas or far from Idaho
• They ask for money, gift cards or crypto
• They discourage you from talking to family and friends 
• They rush into emotional intimacy or say “I love you” early in the relationship. 

They also recommend doing a reverse-image search on profile pictures to verify authenticity and say to never send money to someone who you haven’t met in person. 

While we’re not law enforcement, we do recommend watching Hey, Beautiful: Anatomy of a Romance Scam on Hulu. It’s a true-crime miniseries that introduces viewers to the Yahoo Boys. They’re a network of cybercriminals who market scripts, how-to and images to scammers looking to make quick and often significant cash by operating romance scams.