**Stay Safe Online This Valentine's Day: A Guide for Nigerian Heartbeats** As Valentine's Day approaches, Nigerians are set to flood online platforms with love-filled messages, romantic gestures, and shopping sprees. However, beneath the romantic facade lies a world of scammers and cyber threats waiting to pounce on unsuspecting hearts. In 2023, romance scams rose by 19% globally, with Africa witnessing a significant surge in this type of cybercrime. In Nigeria, where online dating has become increasingly popular, romance scams are a significant concern. With the rise of artificial intelligence, it's becoming harder to distinguish between genuine connections and fake profiles. Last year, Meta removed over 408,000 accounts across Africa linked to romance scam activity, highlighting the need for vigilance. This Valentine's Day, scammers are likely to prey on Nigerians' emotions, using tactics like phishing emails, fake gift deals, and misleading social media posts to steal personal data or compromise accounts. To avoid falling victim to these scams, here are some digital safety tips to keep you safe online: **1. Lock Down Your Personal Info** Before diving into online dating or shopping, be mindful of what you share online. Avoid posting sensitive details like your home address, phone number, or financial information on social media or dating apps. Make sure your dating apps and social media accounts are set to limit who can see your personal information. Only allow people you trust to view sensitive content. **2. Secure Your Accounts** This Valentine's Day is a great time to review your digital security. Many Nigerians still use weak passwords or reuse the same password across multiple accounts. Using a password manager like Google Password Manager can help you generate and store strong, unique passwords for every account. Enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of protection, usually combining a password with a code sent to your phone or your fingerprint. **3. Verify Before You Click** Scammers love to take advantage of Valentine's Day deals, from fake gift cards to irresistible discounts at popular brands. Be cautious of login notifications or password-reset emails you didn't request. Verify the authenticity of online offers before clicking on them. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. **4. Be Cautious on Dating Apps** When using dating apps, be wary of profiles that seem too perfect or ask for sensitive information too quickly. Never send money or share personal details with someone you've just met