Was it love at first swipe? Federal authorities say social media users should be wary of online lovers this Valentine’s Day.
San Antonians lost $28 million to confidence and romance scams last year, according to a news release from the FBI’s San Antonio division. The agency tracked 2025 reports to its Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Confidence scams are schemes that aim to take advantage of a person’s trust for financial gain, sometimes by cultivating a fraudulent online relationship.
The Austin area, which is covered by the FBI’s San Antonio division, made up the majority of losses in confidence scams last year. Austin users were scammed out of $20.4 million, almost $19 million of which came from users over age 50.
It was an increase in losses compared to 2024, when users in South Central Texas lost $15.8 million, the FBI said.
With AI becoming more prevalent, concerns are growing about online scams. The technology allows scammers to create fraudulent photos that appear realistic and craft online messages that are more believable.
“As these scams grow more sophisticated, vigilance and skepticism are key defenses,” the FBI said.
The agency is also warning of increasing cases of cryptocurrency scams. After earning a person’s trust online, scammers may encourage users to invest in cryptocurrency, directing them to fraudulent pages that report large profits. When the investor attempts to withdraw the profits, the scammer will deny the requests and cut off contact.
Here’s what to know before you download dating apps:
Anyone who downloaded software on their devices at the request of a potential scammer should immediately disconnect from Wi-Fi, shut down their device and make a police report.
Click Here For The Original Source.
