SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — It’s the season of love, but for scammers, it’s the season of deception.

“These are criminals sitting in an office somewhere in a cubicle and they are sharing their practices,” said Lisa Plaggemier, the executive director of the National Cybersecurity Alliance.

It’s a business for them. In 2022, the Federal Trade Commission reported that $1.3 billion was lost due to romance scams.

“These are long-term scams,” Plaggemier said. “They’re really trying to develop a relationship with you and get you emotionally invested in that relationship before they start asking for money, plane tickets, bitcoin, or whatever it is.”

They target the emotionally vulnerable.

“Think before you post anything personal, especially if you are at a low point in life,” Plaggemier said. “You’ve suffered some kind of loss or you’re fighting an illness, something like that.”

Scammers target people through dating apps and social media that people have on their computers or phones.

“If you are using a dating app, make sure you do your research,” Plaggemier said. “If you see pictures of them on social media and they are with other people, ask who those other people are, what are their names, research those people.”

It’s usually not one person on the other end of the conversation, but a whole sea of scammers, so make sure you don’t get catfished.

For more information on how to identify and combat romance scams, click here.