In today's age of fraud and deception, one thing is certain - criminals aren't showing the love when it comes to the special day for lovers, and there are certainly a number of Valentine's Day scams you should watch out for.

According to The Wall Street Journal,  you should take precautions to avoid being taken by one of these scams.

A very popular item this week is e-greeting cards - on line greeting cards that are sent electronically. While there are many reputable e-greeting card sites, you have to be careful. Victor Searcy of credit.com warns against clicking on an embedded link in the card, and make sure there is a way to get to the company's website to read the card. Be especially leery if the card is from an unnamed person or secret admirer.

(Zane Mathews)
(Zane Mathews)
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Facebook is another popular breeding ground for internet fraud and identity theft. Be careful about opening generic Valentine messages and greetings, even if you know the sender. It may not be real. Searcy  also says you should avoid Facebook teasers that take you to another website for things Valentine's quizzes and surveys.

While the internet can be incredibly convenient for carrying out well-thought out Valentine's Day surprises,  if you aren't careful, the biggest surprise could be on you. Searcy has more advice to avoid being taken this Valentine's Day.

My personal advice is to take care of Valentine's Day the old-fashioned way. If you are giving flowers or candy, make a personal visit to a local store to make your purchase. While e-greetings are cool, go ahead and take the time to go to the store and peruse through the hundreds of Valentine's Day cards until  you find one that says exactly what you want it to say. It may not be as convenient, but at least it's safe. Besides, who ever said that love was going to be convenient.

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