How to Get Your Money Back From a Scam</a>.</p>\r\n<p>Now that you know about the most common Valentine&rsquo;s Day shopping scams and the warning signs to watch out for, go ahead and celebrate love without fear of becoming a victim!</p>\r\n<h2>Related Articles</h2>\r\n<p>Read some of our other articles for more information about scams related to Valentine&rsquo;s Day, such as dating and romance scams:</p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=https://www.scamadviser.com/"scam-reports/dating-romance-scams/3652/how-to-recognize-scam-adult-dating-platform/">How to Recognize Scam Adult Dating Platforms</a></li>\r\n<li><a href=https://www.scamadviser.com/"scam-reports/dating-romance-scams/2986/dating-romance-scams/">Dating &amp; Romance Scams</a></li>\r\n<li><a href=https://www.scamadviser.com/"scam-reports/dating-romance-scams/3888/4-most-common-adult-porn-website-scams/">4 Most Common Adult (Porn) Website Scams</a></li>\r\n</ul>"}}],"sidebarBlocks":[{"_template":"Small\\Content\\Cta","_identifier":"block-157084","data":{"title":"Report a Scam!","consumer":null,"description":"Have you fallen for a hoax, bought a fake product? 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There are fraudsters making all kinds of claims to trap victims online - from fake investment opportunities to online stores - and the internet allows them to operate from any part of the world with anonymity. The ability to spot online scams is an important skill to have as the virtual world is increasingly becoming a part of every facet of our lives. The below tips will help you identify the signs which can indicate that a website could be a scam.\r\nCommon Sense: Too Good To Be True\r\nWhen looking for goods online, a great deal can be very enticing. A Gucci bag or a new iPhone for half the price? Who wouldn’t want to grab such a deal? Scammers know this too and try to take advantage of the fact.\r\nIf an online deal looks too good to be true, think twice and double-check things. The easiest way to do this is to simply check out the same product at competing websites (that you trust). If the difference in prices is huge, it might be better to double-check the rest of the website.\r\nCheck Out the Social Media Links\r\nSocial media is a core part of ecommerce businesses these days and consumers often expect online shops to have a social media presence. Scammers know this and often insert logos of social media sites on their websites. Scratching beneath the surface often reveals this fu","buttonText":"Read more","renderAsInertiaLink":false},{"id":4,"title":"How Do I Get Money Back From a Scammer?","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/articles/how-do-i-get-money-back-from-a-scammer","excerpt":"Disclaimer: This article was originally published in 2018 and has been updated in October 2025 to reflect more current information, resources, and advice. Scams and recovery options continue to evolve, so always double-check with your bank, payment provider, or local consumer protection authority for the latest guidance.\r\nSo the worst has come to pass - you realise you parted with your money too fast, and the site you used was a scam - what now? Well first of all, don’t despair!!\r\nIf you think you have been scammed, the first port of call when having an issue is to simply ask for a refund. This is the first and easiest step to determine whether you are dealing with a genuine company or scammers. Sadly, getting your money back from a scammer is not as simple as just asking. \r\nIf you are indeed dealing with scammers, the procedure (and chance) of getting your money back varies depending on the payment method you used.\r\n\r\nPayPal\r\nDebit card/Credit card\r\nBank transfer\r\nWire transfer\r\nGoogle Pay\r\nBitcoin\r\n\r\nPayPal\r\nGood news: PayPal gives you strong protection. You can file a dispute within 180 days of your purchase.\r\nYou can get a refund if:\r\n\r\nYour order never arrives, and the seller cannot provide proof of delivery.\r\nThe scammer sends you something completely different (e.g., a controller instead of a PlayStation).\r\nThe product condition was misrepresented (sold as new but arrives used).\r\nThe item is missing undisclosed parts.\r\nThe item is counterfeit.\r\n\r\nStart your claim directly through Pay","buttonText":"Read more","renderAsInertiaLink":false}]}}],"meta":{"title":"Valentine’s Day Shopping Scams","description":"The weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day present golden opportunities for scammers. 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Valentine’s Day Shopping Scams

Header

Author: James Greening

February 10, 2021

Valentine’s Day is a popular occasion celebrated across the world on February 14. For most people, it involves splurging on gifts for their lover or making travel plans. The weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day present golden opportunities for scammers. They often take advantage of consumers’ desire to buy gifts. Keep reading to know about some of the most common Valentine’s Day shopping scams and how you can avoid them.

Types of Valentine’s Day Shopping Scams

Fake Stores

Cashing in on the trend of Valentine’s Day shopping, scammers set up fake online stores to take orders for products that are never delivered. At best, an inferior product might be delivered well after Valentine’s Day. Either way, it is sure to put a damper on your Valentine’s Day surprise.

The most popular scams are fake florists, fake candy shops, fake gift shops and fake vouchers. The stores may be set up from offshore locations, especially China, but pretend to be located in the same country where they are advertising.

Always check the prices of the products you plan to purchase against those on reputed websites. If the price difference is vast, say more than 10% to 20%, there is a considerable chance that it may be a scam. 

The ‘Rose Bear’ scam trapped many victims last year

Phishing Scams

This kind of scam is similar to the one above, but the main difference is that the scammers are looking to steal your bank or card information. The easiest way to identify this scam is to check whether you are entering your details in a secure payment gateway. Be careful about never entering your details on the website itself. 

After entering your details, if you get a message such as ‘Your card was declined’ without going through the payment gateway, it is a huge red flag that your details might have been stolen. 

Even if you order from a trusted website such as Amazon, another way scammers try to steal your payment information is by sending fake emails or messages saying that your payment has failed. The message will contain a link to a phishing page set up by the scammers to collect any information you enter.

Delivery Scams

This scam is similar to the ‘failed payment’ phishing scam, except that you will receive a communication saying that there is a problem with your scheduled delivery. The usual way this scam unfolds is by saying that your payment has failed and that you need to pay for the delivery again. Your payment or payment information will go directly to the scammers.

How to Avoid a Valentine’s Day Shopping Scam

Unbelievable prices: The most common scammer tactic is to offer great items at extremely low prices. The item being advertised would usually cost two to three times the price compared to fake websites. As few people would bother to check the actual cost of the product, it is easy for scammers to mislead them into believing that the gift can cost so less. 

Watch out for ads: Scammers attract traffic to their fake online stores by blasting ads on search engines and social media platforms. Look for tags such as ‘Ad’ or ‘Sponsored’ to know whether it is a paid promotion. Scam websites will almost never show up on the first page of search engines, except as an advertisement.

No or fake order confirmation: If you do not receive an order confirmation via email or text message soon after placing the order, there is a good chance that you may have been scammed. In other cases, you may receive a confirmation containing incorrect details such as the wrong company name or location. 

Check the website quality: An easy way to tell if it’s a scam is to check for errors in spelling and grammar. If it looks like the website operators don’t even have a basic grasp of English, it might be wise to shop somewhere else.Scammers also regularly steal images from other online stores and social media sites such as Pinterest. If you zoom in on the images and they look blurred, it’s possible that the images are stolen. 

Check the company information: Before making a purchase, take note of the information given on the website such as the contact information, About Us, shipping & return policies and more. Try to contact customer support to see if they respond. Unless you are fully convinced that the website belongs to a legitimate business, avoid giving them your money. You can, of course, check Scamadviser before you buy.

What to Do If You Have Been Scammed

If you have already fallen for a Valentine’s Day shopping scam, there are steps you can take to get your money back from the scammer. If you think you have fallen for a phishing scam, contact your bank immediately to block any unauthorized transactions. 

For payments that have already been made, only to realize later that it is a scam, follow our guide on How to Get Your Money Back From a Scam.

Now that you know about the most common Valentine’s Day shopping scams and the warning signs to watch out for, go ahead and celebrate love without fear of becoming a victim!

Related Articles

Read some of our other articles for more information about scams related to Valentine’s Day, such as dating and romance scams:

Report a Scam!

Have you fallen for a hoax, bought a fake product? Report the site and warn others!

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Protect yourself online with our expert-vetted tools and the official ScamAdviser App

  1. ScamAdviser App - iOS : Your personal scam detector, on the go! Check website safety, report scams, and get instant alerts. Available on iOS
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Popular Stories

As the influence of the internet rises, so does the prevalence of online scams. There are fraudsters making all kinds of claims to trap victims online - from fake investment opportunities to online stores - and the internet allows them to operate from any part of the world with anonymity. The ability to spot online scams is an important skill to have as the virtual world is increasingly becoming a part of every facet of our lives. The below tips will help you identify the signs which can indicate that a website could be a scam. Common Sense: Too Good To Be True When looking for goods online, a great deal can be very enticing. A Gucci bag or a new iPhone for half the price? Who wouldn’t want to grab such a deal? Scammers know this too and try to take advantage of the fact. If an online deal looks too good to be true, think twice and double-check things. The easiest way to do this is to simply check out the same product at competing websites (that you trust). If the difference in prices is huge, it might be better to double-check the rest of the website. Check Out the Social Media Links Social media is a core part of ecommerce businesses these days and consumers often expect online shops to have a social media presence. Scammers know this and often insert logos of social media sites on their websites. Scratching beneath the surface often reveals this fu

Disclaimer: This article was originally published in 2018 and has been updated in October 2025 to reflect more current information, resources, and advice. Scams and recovery options continue to evolve, so always double-check with your bank, payment provider, or local consumer protection authority for the latest guidance. So the worst has come to pass - you realise you parted with your money too fast, and the site you used was a scam - what now? Well first of all, don’t despair!! If you think you have been scammed, the first port of call when having an issue is to simply ask for a refund. This is the first and easiest step to determine whether you are dealing with a genuine company or scammers. Sadly, getting your money back from a scammer is not as simple as just asking.  If you are indeed dealing with scammers, the procedure (and chance) of getting your money back varies depending on the payment method you used. PayPal Debit card/Credit card Bank transfer Wire transfer Google Pay Bitcoin PayPal Good news: PayPal gives you strong protection. You can file a dispute within 180 days of your purchase. You can get a refund if: Your order never arrives, and the seller cannot provide proof of delivery. The scammer sends you something completely different (e.g., a controller instead of a PlayStation). The product condition was misrepresented (sold as new but arrives used). The item is missing undisclosed parts. The item is counterfeit. Start your claim directly through Pay