Deceived feelings: what schemes to expect from scammers before Valentine's Day
Fraudsters can use various schemes to deceive Russians before Valentine's Day, which is traditionally celebrated on February 14th. It is customary for lovers to give gifts, make surprises, organize romantic meetings and trips to nature on this day. Many are prepared for high costs, so it becomes easier for attackers to implement their schemes. For more information about what schemes to expect from scammers before Valentine's Day in 2026, what are the dangers of such tricks and how to protect yourself from them, read the Izvestia article
What is the theme of Valentine's Day interesting to scammers?
The topic of February 14 is interesting to scammers primarily because of the combination of a high emotional background and mass consumer excitement, when the desire to find the perfect gift or partner dulls the rational vigilance of citizens, says Marina Probets, an Internet analyst and expert at Gazinformservice, in an interview with Izvestia.
"During this period, attackers effectively exploit psychological triggers: from feelings of loneliness to haste and the search for "exclusive" offers, which allows them to successfully disguise malicious links under phishing websites of flower shops, restaurant booking services or dating applications aimed at stealing personal data and funds," the expert notes.
Valentine's Day celebrations have become more widespread now — in addition to flowers and sweets, romantic weekend bookings in hotels, dinners in restaurants and SPA treatments are popular, adds Alexandra Shmigirilova, GR Director of the Security Code Information Security company. If a person is looking for options at the last moment, all attractive places at an adequate price are often already occupied. In this situation, he is more likely to fall for a suspiciously tempting offer, without thinking about why it is available and whether it may turn out to be fake.
What kind of fraudulent schemes to expect before February 14 in 2026
In 2026, fraudsters on the eve of Valentine's Day may use artificial intelligence (AI) more actively, says Vitaly Fomin, head of the information security analyst group at the Digital Economy League. For example, a high-quality deepfake or a fake voice message will help attackers get money during correspondence with a person.
— Neural networks are often used in online dating, when a fraudster sends someone else's processed photos to the interlocutor, - says the interlocutor of Izvestia. — And to increase trust in the online store, scammers can post photos with famous bloggers and other popular personalities on the reviews page.
With the development of technology and various online services such as shipping or electronic certificates, cheating schemes will become more sophisticated. For example, fake stores on marketplaces, fake courier services, phishing emails with suspicious links will look even more convincing, warns Vitaly Fomin. Thanks to AI, phishing sites and emails will be almost indistinguishable from real ones, and personalized offers on social networks will be so accurate that a specific person is almost guaranteed to show interest in them, agrees Alexandra Shmigirilova.
Meanwhile, in 2026, before February 14, we should expect classic phishing mailings with "gift certificates" that require you to confirm personal information or pay for delivery, adds Alexander Vinokurov, technical account manager at R-Vision. In addition, according to the expert, fake flower, chocolate and jewelry websites will be popular with intruders: they look like real stores, but after payment, the money goes to the scammers.
— There may also be "sweepstakes and contests" on social networks, where they offer to win a romantic dinner or a trip, — the expert notes. — To participate, you need to fill out a form and transfer a small amount "for booking", after which the person will no longer see the money and the gift. There will also traditionally be an increase in the number of fake SMS and instant messenger messages that mimic notifications from banks or delivery services.
What schemes have you met before on the eve of Valentine's Day?
According to the interlocutors interviewed by Izvestia, scammers have tried to speculate on the theme of Valentine's Day before. In particular, according to Maria Mikhailova, head of the Angara MTDR brand protection group, the most popular scheme in recent years has been the delivery of bouquets from anonymous fans.
According to legend, the courier must verify the details (name, delivery address) of the recipient of the secret gift by confirming the order with an SMS code that comes to the phone of the potential victim, the expert says. — If a person provides the code, the attackers will gain access to his personal data.
Dating service users have also been at risk of becoming victims of cybercrimes for years. Shortly before Valentine's Day, scammers invite their new acquaintances to go on a date — to visit a cinema, theater or other cultural event. After receiving the consent, the stranger sends a link to the website to purchase a ticket, but soon disappears along with the money and traces of correspondence.
Men are more likely to buy flowers and other gifts for Valentine's Day — usually intruders act on their behalf, so women are more often the target audience of scammers, Maria Mikhailova notes. Users of dating apps who are actively looking for a couple before the holiday are also at risk.
— "Romantic" schemes are aimed at everyone who celebrates February 14th and plans online purchases or bookings of services, especially with prepayment, — adds Alexandra Shmigirilova. — The most vulnerable are those who act at the last moment and do not have time to check information in a hurry, as well as those who primarily seek maximum savings and focus only on the low price.
How to protect yourself from fraud schemes before February 14th
Fraudsters' attacks before Valentine's Day damage not only the victim's wallet, but also her emotional state, creating stressful situations when she is forced to make a hasty decision, Maria Mikhailova says in an interview with Izvestia. For example, attackers force their target to purchase the last ticket for an event or to make a purchase in time for an alleged sale of goods, the discount for which is valid for only 10 minutes.
In order not to become a victim of scams on the eve of Valentine's Day, Alexey Vybornov, an analyst at the Positive Technologies research group, advises following a few simple rules that are relevant for other holidays. First of all, do not follow links from suspicious messages. If you have received an email about an incredible discount, it is better to go to the store's website yourself through a browser or an application, rather than clicking on the sent link.
— Check the addresses of the sites: extra letters, symbols or other differences from the original domain in the address bar indicate the unoriginality of the resource, — says the expert. — Also, do not share the SMS codes with anyone. Banks, stores, and delivery services can use confirmation codes, but they never request them over the phone, in messengers, or through third-party sites.
Use a separate card for online purchases with a limited limit. Even if her data is stolen, the damage will be minimal, Alexey Vybornov notes. Also, do not trust overly generous offers.: A 90% discount on a branded item or a free iPhone for a repost are sure signs of fraud. Enabling two-factor authentication will help protect against it. Even if hackers find out your password, an additional layer of protection for important applications and accounts will make it more difficult for them to access your data and funds.
"It is important to remember that attackers adapt quickly and use any information channel to implement deception schemes, so care and caution remain key factors in avoiding becoming a victim and updating victim statistics," the expert concludes.
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