MENLO PARK, California — As Valentine’s Day approaches, Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is advising users to be cautious of potential “romance scams” that may appear enticing but are often fraudulent. The company warns that these scams frequently manifest through unsolicited messages across social media platforms and via general text messages.

Scammers typically present themselves as “attractive, single, and successful individuals,” often claiming to have backgrounds in the military, medicine, or business. They may use photos that are either stolen from real accounts or created with artificial intelligence. The initial outreach from these fraudsters is usually broad, targeting a large audience in the hopes of eliciting responses. Once a connection is made, they work to establish trust over time before they eventually request money, claiming to face hardships or presenting attractive investment opportunities, frequently in cryptocurrency.

Recently, Meta has collaborated with the research organization Graphika to dismantle several types of romance scams. These include impersonators claiming to be military personnel, those mimicking celebrities, and scammers masquerading as fake matchmaking agencies. The latter often target individuals in Africa by promising opportunities to connect with affluent individuals from Western nations or relationships with “African women.”

To enhance online safety, Meta is not only taking steps to eliminate these scam networks but is also experimenting with new tools to combat fraud, such as facial recognition technology that can compare profile pictures of suspicious users against images of public figures. Currently, this technology is limited to identifying celebrity impersonations.

To help users stay alert, Meta advises being skeptical of unsolicited messages from unfamiliar contacts. If one chooses to engage, it’s recommended to verify the person’s identity by researching their profile—checking the age of their account or conducting a reverse image search on their photos. Furthermore, requests for financial assistance, whether in gift cards or using payment applications, should always be regarded with caution.