Valentine's Day isn't just about love and romance. It's also about the need to exercise skepticism, common sense and vigilance.

Consumers should stay alert to various scams, ploys and other dangers that can send Cupid fleeing. Here are some to beware:

Online requests for money surge

Romance scams are rapidly increasing, having cost nearly 70,000 Americans a combined $1.3 billion in losses last year, according to the Federal Trade Commission. The numbers are almost certainly underreported, as many victims are too embarrassed to divulge their losses or admit to getting duped.

The agency has revealed a new list of one-liners that crooks use to lure people seeking romantic ties. Much of the illicit activity is conducted through dating apps or social media sites including TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, the FTC said.

At the top of the one-liner list, scammers often try to develop an online connection then ask prospective victims for money, often because a friend or relative is sick, hurt or in jail. The next most common ruse is when scammers offer to teach someone about investing without having ever met.

Other crooks claim to be in the military stationed overseas and need money for various reasons, followed by requests for money to pay for an important delivery.

Another growing trend is “sextortion,” when scammers request explicit photos from another person. If a prospective victim provides one or more photos, the crook might follow that with demands for money, threatening to reveal the photos publicly unless the victim gives in.

According to the FTC, sextortion complaints have jumped eightfold in the past three years, with young adults ages 18 to 29 six times more likely than older consumers to report this form of romance scam.

Speaking of photos, romance scammers also try to lure potential victims with pictures stolen from the internet that they use to build false profiles on dating websites, then ask for money eventually, reports Socialcatfish.com, a company that offers “reverse image” searches to help consumers learn whom they’re dealing with.

Valentine's Day 2023:Here are 10 romantic ways to celebrate with your sweetie in Arizona

Boxes of chocolates, and air

If you haven't shopped for Valentine's Day chocolate lately, be aware that some boxes contain more air by volume than actual candy, warns the Consumer World public-service group.

This type of "packaging ploy" can trick buyers into think they're getting more chocolate than is really the case, the group said on its MousePrint.org sister site. As an example, a 5.1-ounce box of Russell Stover chocolates is substantially larger in dimension than a smaller 4-ounce box but contains only nine pieces of chocolate compared to seven for the later, the group said.

The same held true for some Whitman's boxes examined by Consumer World and Mouse Print. One box measured 10 inches by 9.3 inches but held only 11 pieces of chocolate. Both brands are owned by Swiss chocolate giant Lindt & Sprungli.

Patrick Khattak, vice president of marketing at Russell Stover, said the company works to indicate clerarly to customers what's contained in its packaging. "This includes sharing the product weight and how many pieces are in all of our Valentine’s Day boxed chocolates," he said in an email.

Some extra space and plastic dividers are needed to protect the candy from getting squished but a lot of this is unnecessary "slack," the consumer group said. The lesson for buyers is to check the net weight on the label and even the number of pieces contained inside.

Balloons an airborne threat

Mylar balloons make popular gifts for Valentine's Day and for other popular celebrations, but they also can cause power outages and damage electrical equipment, warns Arizona Public Service.

In 2022, balloons were responsible for 60 power outages in APS service territory, causing power disruptions for more than 28,400 customers, the Phoenix-based electric utility said. The metallic coating on Mylar balloons conducts electricity and can cause a short circuit or power surge that can lead to outages, melted electrical wires, fires, property damage and even injuries to people, pets and wildlife, APS added.

The company's safety tips for the balloons include using them indoors, securing them with a weight or tying them down. APS also cautions not to try to retrieve balloons, kites or other objects that get caught in a power line. Instead, call the APS Outage Hotline at 602-371-3680 or 1-855-688-2437 or visit aps.com/outage.

Asking the tough money questions

Having a frank financial talk with your spouse or partner might seem like something to avoid on Valentine's Day.

One in five couples cite finances as their greatest relationship challenge, according to Fidelity Investments. Money problems offer fodder for arguments, and plenty of adults avoid shared budgeting and other financial activities, the company said.

With this in mind, Fidelity offers a free financial starter kit or online brochure for couples that includes suggestions on what to ask and how you might want to prepare a financial life togther. Some of the key topics include making and disclosing a financial inventory of assets and debts, discussing goals for saving and deciding which financial responsibilities should be shared or divided.

You can put this on your to-do list for Feb. 15 or later.

Reach the reporter at russ.wiles@arizonarepublic.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What to know about Valentine's Day scams, dangers; how to avoid them