The specialist warned about a surge in fraud before February 14th

On the eve of Valentine's Day, there is a predictable increase in fraud activity, while the schemes used are becoming more technological and sophisticated. Alexey Karpunin, a partner at 5D Consulting, announced this in an interview with Izvestia on February 10.

According to him, criminals are currently actively exploiting romantic themes. They create fake accounts on dating sites using artificial intelligence tools, generate realistic photos and voice messages, and simulate the operation of online flower shops.

"The most common trap is a call supposedly from a courier asking him to dictate a text message code to confirm the "delivery". In fact, this code opens access to your bank account or personal account in Public Services," the expert explained.

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Karpunin noted that the growth of holiday fraud is systemic and is confirmed by studies indicating a pronounced seasonality of phishing attacks during holidays, sales and vacations. At the same time, the government is strengthening its opposition to such schemes: since January, the Central Bank of the Russian Federation has expanded the list of signs of suspicious transactions, and banks have received the right to suspend questionable transfers. According to the expert, these measures are generally effective, although they sometimes lead to the blocking of legal transactions of bona fide citizens.

In order to protect yourself, the specialist recommends that you do not transfer SMS codes to third parties, do not follow links from suspicious messages, and purchase gifts only in trusted stores with transparent banking details. Real delivery services, he stressed, do not require confirmation codes, since they already have all the necessary information about the order.

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SOKOLOV Category director Taisiya Iznova reported on February 9 that until recently, decorations for Valentine's Day were a beautiful gesture. In 2026, romance has become more practical: lovers choose accessories that easily fit into everyday style and stay with us for a long time.

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