Australians are urged to keep an eye out for dating and romance scams this Valentine’s Day after there was a record high of $56 million (US$40 million) in reported losses to Scamwatch in 2021, an increase of 44 percent. But the full extent of losses to romance scams is much higher, as Scamwatch’s internal research showed that only around 13 percent of all scam victims report to the website. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is warning Australians that romance scammers play on emotional triggers to take advantage of victims, often using techniques such as confessing love very quickly to influence victims. The scammers then make up elaborate stories asking the victim to send them money, gifts, or financial information. “It’s important to look out for friends or family members who are using online dating apps and talk about how to spot romance scams,” ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard …