HONOLULU (KHON2) — With less than a week remaining before we celebrate a day surrounded by love, the U.S. Postal Service reminds consumers to be wary about possible romance scams.

According to USPS, these romance scams can be developed for months, with scammers preying on individuals seeking companionship by cultivating an online relationship.

They build trust with the targeted individual through social media, dating apps and other communication platforms to “pledge their love early on.”

Once the trust is built, the scammer then creates an urgent financial need in an effort to solicit money by pressuring victims into sending cash, checks, transfers or gift cards.

Once the fraud is detected, officials said it can be hard to recover. This leaves the victim with both financial and emotional losses.

Protecting the sanctity and integrity of the mail is our top priority. This includes protecting customers from mail-related crimes, including fraudulent schemes like romance scams. Public awareness is critical in stopping these criminals before they cause harm.

Gary Barksdale, USPIS Chief Postal Inspector

USPS said consumers can easily avoid heartbreak by remaining cautious of online relationships that escalate quickly, “especially if the individual avoids in-person meetings or video calls.”

As a general rule, never send money, checks or personal finance information to someone you’ve never met in person, especially if the individual requests for secrecy or urgent financial help.

You should also cut off communication immediately.

If you find you have fallen victim to a romance scam, report it to the United States Postal Inspection Service.

More mail fraud prevention resources are also available HERE.