This February, as we celebrate Valentine's Day, we want to help you "Love Your Security."

While online connections are a great way to meet new people, fraudsters are evolving. According to recent fraud reports, romance scams have entered a new era. Scammers now use emotionally intelligent AI to build deep trust over many months, making their deception harder to detect than ever before.

How to Spot an AI-Powered Romance Scam:

1. The "Too Perfect" Profile: Be wary of profiles with AI-generated photos that look like professional headshots and messages that are flawlessly composed without a mistake.

‍How to stay safe: Use a search engine to check if their photo appears elsewhere. If they have no digital footprint or social history, proceed with extreme caution.‍

2. The Video Call Dodge: If they refuse to video chat, or if the video appears "glitchy," lagged, or slightly unnatural, it may be a real-time deep fake mask.

How to stay safe: Ask them to perform a specific, unscripted action on the camera – like turning their head to the side or waving a hand in front of their face. AI deep fakes often “break” or distort during these movements.‍

3. The Long Game: Modern scammers are patient. They may "talk" to you for months using AI to maintain the persona before ever mentioning a "crisis" or a "guaranteed" crypto investment.

How to stay safe: Never share sensitive personal details – like where you bank, your home address, or your SSN – with someone you haven’t met in person. If a “long-term” online friend suddenly asks for financial advice, talk to a real-life friend to get an outside perspective.‍

4. The Pivot to Payments: No matter how real the connection feels, the moment they ask for money, gift cards, or access to your bank account, it is most likely a scam.

How to stay safe: Make it a personal policy to never send money, cryptocurrency, or gift cards to someone you met online. If you are pressured to move money quickly or keep the transaction a secret, stop the conversation immediately.

Firstrust Bank will never ask you for your password, PIN, or one-time login codes. If something feels “off”, trust your instincts. If someone you’ve only met online asks you to move money or share account details, stop and call us directly at 800-220-BANK.

Stay safe and bank with confidence.