Valentine's Day Scams: Beware of That 'Be Mine'

Don't get scammed this Valentine's Day—those e-cards in your inbox or on your Facebook page might not be what you think they are.

"According to data from security researcher McAfee, the percentage of spam emails containing the word 'Valentine' in the subject header rose dramatically last year between Jan. 20 through Feb. 7," DailyFinance.com reports.

Social media scams were particularly plentiful last year, with Facebook users clicking on links that appeared to be posted by friends but that actually were from scammers, DailyFinance.com reported. The links took users to "rogue apps" that were used to gather basic information about users before being passed along to their friends.

The Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection has identified other Valentine's Day scams and offers these useful tips to keep you from becoming a fool for love:

Email cards

Be careful when opening Valentine’s Day e-cards. "It could actually be a phishing scheme to obtain your personal information or to infect your computer with spyware," the county's Office of Consumer Protection warned in a news release. Only open emails sent to you by people whom you trust, the office advised. Stay away from non-personal emails—e.g., those from a "secret admirer."

Don't click email links

"Be cautious about following links that look as if they were sent by a friend. Following links from phony email is one of the oldest methods for perpetrating online scams," the Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection advises.

And don't let emails advertising sales fool you. Don't click on sales links in an email message. Instead, go to the website of the store offering the sale and find the discounts through that website. (If you can't find the sale on the store's website, that could be a clue that the email was a scam.)

Secure your purchase

Only enter credit card information on websites that use SSL (secure sockets layer) security. To make sure that you're on an SSL page, look at the URL for the website. If the URL begins with "https://", it's safe. If the URL begins with "http://", it's not safe. "Most browsers will also show a lock icon in the lower right corner of the browser window to let you know you're on a secure site," the Office of Consumer Protection said.

Use familiar websites

"Start at a trusted site rather than shopping with a search engine. Search results can be rigged to lead you astray; especially when you drift past the first few pages of links," the Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection said. "If you know the site, chances are it's less likely to be a rip-off."

Online dating

The Office of Consumer Protection warns online daters to "proceed with caution after meeting the perfect mate. Scam artists often create fake profiles to lure people into revealing personal information, or to ask for money because they are sick or have a relative who needs emergency medical attention. Be wary of free dating sites as they may offer less monitoring and protection than those that charge a fee."