Valentine’s Day: True Romance or the ultimate Scam?

In case you hadn’t noticed today is Valentine’s Day, an entire day dedicated to the worldwide celebration of love.

While the history of Valentine’s Day tells a different story, it seems expectations have gone well beyond a simple gesture or bunch of flowers. There’s no need to fret as there’s no shortage of gift ideas floating around. Same-day delivery, gifts for him, gifts for her and couples experiences – even “love trunks” and “jelly hearts” – are all just a click away.

Single? No need to worry; you’re not forgotten about either and it doesn’t just stop at Valentine’s Day. We now have ‘Galentine’s Day – a celebration amongst female friends on 13 February.

So as another Valentine’s Day comes and goes, we ask: is it all a Scam? Some will argue it’s all just a marketing ploy as you don’t need a day to tell your partner I love you.

Whether you choose to celebrate or not, each year Australians are spending more on their loved ones to mark February 14.  As reported by Smart Company, Australian consumers are expected to spend around $791.4 million this Valentine’s Day, with an average Australian expected to spend up to $86 on their special someone.

Amongst all the celebrations of love, we are also being warned to watch out for scammers. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission reports over $25 million was lost to dating and romance scams in 2013.

Politicians are noticing the impact too, using Valentine’s day as a timely reminder about the dangers of romance scams. As with all scams, if he or she sounds too good to be true, they probably are.

What are your thoughts? Is Valentine’s Day just a big money-waster? How much money would you spend on your loved one? What’s the best-value Valentive’s Day gift you’ve ever given or received?