IRS Criminal Investigation units used Valentine’s Week to warn that romance scams increasingly steer victims into fake crypto and investment platforms, urging immediate reporting due to delays caused by victim shame. The advisory reinforced FBI and FTC messages about AI‑enhanced impersonation and crypto payment methods used to launder funds.

Between Feb 11 and Feb 13, IRS Criminal Investigation agents issued outreach emphasizing that romance fraud often escalates into investment fraud when victims are directed to sham trading platforms or cryptocurrency schemes. The public advisories highlighted common tactics: scammers cultivate relationships via dating apps or social networks, then pivot to purported high‑return investment opportunities that require wire transfers or cryptocurrency conversion. Investigators noted victims frequently hesitate to report losses because of embarrassment, which can reduce chances of asset recovery and complicate forensic timelines. IRS CI urged immediate contact with banks, crypto exchanges, local law enforcement, and reporting to IC3 to preserve evidence and expedite potential freezes or subpoenas. The advisory reiterated cross‑agency findings about the growing role of AI in creating realistic synthetic media used to persuade victims and to impersonate legitimate financial advisors, and it described patterns of fund flow that involve stablecoins, peer‑to‑peer transfers, and on‑ramps into centralized platforms. The statement aimed to align victim guidance across federal partners and increase early reporting during a period of elevated seasonal targeting.