Consumer News: Romance are spiking this holiday season— here’s how to spot them before it’s too late

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Details: Written by Consumer Affairs News; Category: Consumer Daily Reports; Published: 12 December 2025; Created: 12 December 2025; Last Updated: 12 December 2025

An expert warns that scammers are getting bolder and lonelier consumers are more vulnerable than ever

December 12, 2025

Romance are surging this holiday season, with Avast reporting a 64% increase in blocked dating scam attacks and high rates of victims falling for them.
Scammers use emotional manipulation especially loneliness to build trust quickly, then pivot into requests for money, gift cards, crypto, or emergency travel help.
Experts urge consumers to pause, verify, and protect themselves, watching for early money asks, avoiding quick emotional escalation, and using tools like reverse image searches and privacy settings.

If youre looking for connection during the holidays, youre definitely not alone and unfortunately, scammers know that too.

Romance tend to surge this time of year, and new data from Avast shows just how quickly the problem is growing. The company has seen a 64% jump in blocked dating scam attacks compared to last year, and the ripple effects are real: 40% of people using dating apps say theyve been targeted, with more than four in ten falling for the deception.

ConsumerAffairs spoke with Iskander Sanchez-Rola, Director of AI and Innovation at Avast, who explained that this season is prime time for romance scammers because emotions run high and isolation can make people more likely to take risks. In fact, one in five people admit they make riskier online decisions when theyre feeling lonely a vulnerability scammers are quick to exploit.

Warning signs to look for

Sanchez-Rola shared the top three warning signs consumers can look for to avoid falling victim to these romance .

These include:

Money enters the conversation early. Scammers often invent a crisis, like medical bills, a stranded trip, or frozen funds, and ask for help via gift cards, crypto, or wire transfers, which make it nearly impossible to recover your money once sent.
They avoid video chats or real-world meetups. Theres always a reason they cant hop on a call or meet in person. Many claim to be overseas for work or the military to buy time and build trust. However, even if they do offer video, dont assume its proof. AI tools now make it surprisingly easy to create convincing deepfake videos without advanced technical skills.
They move fast emotionally. If someone is expressing deep love or planning your future together within days of chatting, especially without having met, youre likely being manipulated.

Take a pause

Because many scammers take advantage of victims vulnerability, Sanchez-Rola has a big piece of advice for consumers: take a pause.

One of the most powerful mental habits is pausing before you respond, especially to emotionally charged messages, he said. Creating a moment of space to fact-check or consult a trusted friend to vet messages can break that emotional spell. Its about training yourself to pause and verify instead of react and regret.

Protect yourself ahead of time

If you find yourself scrolling dating apps this holiday season, there are some proactive steps to take to protect yourself against scammers.

Preparation goes a long way, Sanchez-Rola said. A few smart moves include:

Tighten your privacy settings on social media and dating apps. Dont overshare early on.
Do a reverse image search of profile pics - many scammers reuse photos from modeling sites or other profiles.
Loop in a friend. Telling someone you trust that you're talking to someone new gives you an outside perspective and a second opinion if anything feels off.

Posted: 2025-12-12 19:38:57

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Consumer News: Trump order targets state AI laws, sparking legal and consumer backlash
Fri, 12 Dec 2025 23:07:05 +0000

It's a push for federal control over AI

By James R. Hood of ConsumerAffairs

December 12, 2025

Executive order empowers federal government to challenge state AI regulations
States risk losing broadband and other funding if laws remain in place
Critics warn move favors tech industry without national consumer safeguards

President Trump on Thursday signed an executive order aimed at curbing state laws that regulate artificial intelligence, a move that could invalidate dozens of state-level consumer protection and AI safety measures while consolidating regulatory authority at the federal level.

The order grants sweeping power to the U.S. attorney general to sue states and overturn laws deemed inconsistent with what the administration calls the United States global A.I. dominance. It also directs federal agencies to withhold funding for broadband and other infrastructure projects from states that refuse to roll back their AI regulations.

"Got to be one source"

Trump has repeatedly argued that the U.S. must lead the world in artificial intelligence and has criticized state laws as creating a fragmented regulatory environment that could slow innovation.

Its got to be one source, Trump said Thursday in the Oval Office, flanked by senior officials including David Sacks, the administrations AI and cryptocurrency czar. You cant go to 50 different sources.

The president framed the order as essential to keeping the U.S. ahead of China in the global race to develop advanced AI technologies. The directive seeks to replace state-level oversight with a single federal framework that would supersede local rules.

With todays executive order, Donald Trump is doing his best to take care of his Big Tech buddies and donors. This reward to Big Tech is a disgraceful invitation to reckless behavior by the worlds largest corporations and a complete override of the federalist principles that Trump and MAGA claim to venerate," said Robert Weissman, co-president of Public Citizen.

Tech-friendly agenda accelerates

The executive order is the latest in a series of actions signaling Trumps growing alignment with the AI industry. In recent months, he has signed orders limiting regulation, expanding companies access to federal data and easing the construction of data centers and other infrastructure needed to power AI systems.

Trump has also moved to loosen restrictions on exporting advanced chips that drive AI development and has publicly praised technology executives. Sacks, a Silicon Valley investor, has emerged as a central figure in shaping the administrations AI policy.

Legal challenges expected

The order has already drawn broad, bipartisan criticism and is expected to face swift legal challenges from states and consumer advocacy groups. Legal experts say the move may overstep executive authority, arguing that only Congress has the power to override state laws.

Critics also warn that eliminating state protections without replacing them with strong federal standards could leave consumers vulnerable.

If Mr. Trump succeeds in neutering state laws, he should instead offer a robust national standard on A.I. regulations, said Wes Hodges, acting director of the Center for Technology and the Human Person at the conservative Heritage Foundation. Doing so before establishing commensurate national protections is a carve-out for Big Tech.

Consumer risks remain unresolved

The debate comes as generative AI tools capable of mimicking human voices, writing and images have rapidly proliferated. While the technology has fueled innovation, it has also been linked to , deceptive deepfakes and instances in which chatbots have provided harmful advice to minors.

Consumer advocates say many state laws targeted by the order were designed to address those risks, raising concerns that the administrations push for AI dominance may come at the expense of public safety and accountability.

Consumer News: Let AI help you shop (without letting it spend your money)
Fri, 12 Dec 2025 23:07:05 +0000

Let AI be your shopping buddy, not your bank account

By Kyle James of ConsumerAffairs

December 12, 2025

Use AI to brainstorm gifts, compare products, and summarize reviews. Dont let it log into accounts, enter card details, or auto-check out for you
Keep prompts product-focused, not identity-focused. Skip tools/extensions that want broad access (saved payments, browsing history, manage your web data)
For tech, designer items, and hot toys, ask AI to only suggest options from official sites or major retailers. Then verify the sellers name, site quality, and pricing

A recent U.S. PIRG Education Fund article explains how agentic commerce is rolling out fast. In laymans terms, this is when an AI bot acts as your personal shopper and will find, research, and even make purchases on your behalf.

But research has also shown how AI assistants can be tricked into shopping on fake websites and accidentally buying counterfeits.

Use AI for research, not for paying

According to the research, people are most comfortable using AI for simple tasks like gift ideas, review summaries, and comparing products.

Conversely, they're much more wary of AI when paymentsand their personal data gets involved. Thats exactly the line in the sand you should draw.

With that said, here are some smart ways to use AI when shopping:

Brainstorm gifts: Give me 10 gift ideas under $50 for a 12-year-old who loves art and basketball.
Compare similar products: Compare these three air fryers on size, warranty and real-world complaints in reviews.
Summarize reviews: Summarize the top pros and cons people mention in reviews for this TV.
Spot deal patterns: Has this price been lower in the past 30 days? What do reviewers say about quality at this price?

Scenarios where you should stop using AI:

Dont let AI enter your credit card number on your behalf, log into accounts, or auto-check out for you.
Dont paste full card details, full address, or passwords into a chat box just to make it faster.
Think of AI as the friend who helps you research a product, but not the friend you hand your wallet to.

Smart tips to protect your privacy

The article warns that risk goes up as you hand over more data and as that data passes through more systems.

Follow these safer AI habits:

Keep conversations product-focused, not identity-focused. Size 9 running shoes for flat feet is fine; your full address and birthday are not.
Avoid storing your card details inside experimental tools or browser extensions that promise one-click AI checkout.
If an AI tool wants broad access to your data, ask yourself if the convenience is worth the risk. Examples to avoid include read all your browsing history or manage all your web data.

Think of it this way: If you wouldnt feel comfortable saying the information out loud in a crowded checkout line, dont feed it to an unfamiliar AI assistant.

Dont let AI pick potential counterfeits

The article cites brand-protection research showing that about 3 in 10 people who accidentally bought a counterfeit used AI to help them search.

That doesnt mean AI forces you to buy fakes, it simply means that AI will happily find knockoffs if you dont tell it otherwise.

Tips to avoid counterfeits:

For high-risk items like tech, designer brands, and hot toys, ask AI to only show options from official or well-known retailers (think Target, Walmart, Best Buy, the official brand site, etc.).
Double-check the following:
- Seller name (is it the brand, or a random third-party seller with no reviews?)
- Are the product photos and website quality up to snuff.
- Is the price way below everyone else? If so, assume its a knockoff until proven otherwise.
When in doubt, I recommend going directly to the brands website, or a major retailer that you trust. Search for the product with your own fingertips and you won't get burned.

Consumer News: Last-minute holiday shopping mistakes to avoid before you blow your budget
Fri, 12 Dec 2025 23:07:05 +0000

An expert explains how to save smart, skip the debt traps, and make AI tools work for younot against you

By Kristen Dalli of ConsumerAffairs

December 12, 2025

Last-minute pressure leads to overspending:From impulse buys to paying extra for shipping, shoppers often make avoidable mistakes as Christmas approaches.
Buy Now, Pay Later can be a hidden debt trap especially for consumers already feeling financial strain heading into 2026.
A strategic plan (and realistic expectations) can save you money including re-evaluating gift lists and timing purchases to get the best deals.

If youre staring down your holiday list and realizing you still have more gifts to buy than days left on the calendar, youre not alone.

The final stretch before Christmas is when even the savviest shoppers start to panic stores get crowded, prices feel unpredictable, and its easy to fall into the trap of overspending just to cross names off your list. And with many families already feeling the squeeze from higher prices, that last-minute scramble can quickly turn into unnecessary debt or a Buy Now, Pay Later plan youll still be paying off long after the tree comes down.

To help shoppers navigate these high-pressure weeks, ConsumerAffairs spoke with Bobby Ghoshal, CEO of Dupe.com, an AI-powered tool that helps consumers find lower-priced replicas of popular products.

Ghoshal shared smart strategies to stay on budget and avoid the biggest last-minute shopping pitfalls.

Gift giving should be a fun experience and not an obligation, Ghoshal said. If you can have honest conversations with your friends and family about your budget constraints and aim to set a limit for gifts exchanged, that would take the stress away for most. That conversation is probably a little late for this year, but its important to set realistic expectations in advance.

Avoid the spending traps

With just a few weeks left until Christmas, its important that consumers dont panic or fall into the most common spending traps. Ghoshal shared his top three traps that consumers most often fall into during this time of year:

Impulse Buys/Panic shopping: Oftentimes, as Christmas nears, we see a lot of consumers make purchasing decisions they likely wouldnt make if they werent under the gun. In this case, its important to take a breath, reevaluate your list and go in with a plan. If youre struggling with gift ideas for the acquaintances in your life, consider purchasing items that come with gift card bundles to help save money and stress. Sure, some people think theyre impersonal, but most of us like to choose our own items.
Agreeing to Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL): There are some perks to BNPL programs, but if youre on a tight budget, I advise you to reconsider. The economy is pretty unstable at the moment and if youre not absolutely certain you can make these payments back in time, youre risking debt that could follow you well into 2026. BNPL programs also offer those with limited time to find the perfect gift the delusion that its okay to overpay because its smaller amounts at the time. Thats a trap we should all avoid. Make your budget and stick to it.
Overpaying on shipping: Were getting closer to where consumers either wont make shipping deadlines or will be required to pay more to receive their gifts in time. Sometimes it does make sense to pay for shipping, but this is something we can and should avoid. If youre going to spend the price of another gift just to ship one, go in-store and purchase yourself. None of your family members will expect a gift if it means adding to your debt.

Budgeting tips for overspenders

If youve already spent way too much money this holiday season and the stress is rising, Ghoshal has some advice to help combat overspending.

Put the credit card down immediately and reevaluate your shopping list and the gifts you already acquired, Ghoshal suggested. Did you buy too much for your mom that would also be appropriate for your sister? Then move some to her pile.

Once you take inventory of your debt and the gifts you already have, make a list of what you actually need. Are there any corners you can cut? Can you buy gift card bundles appropriate for multiple recipients? Are there items that come with a gift with purchase that you can give to someone you feel obligated to buy for but dont know on a personal level?

Timing can also play a role here. Ghoshal suggests thinking about your social calendar and planning purchases accordingly.

Are there people in your life that you wont have the chance to exchange with until after-Christmas? he said. I would consider holding off purchasing these items until the post-Christmas sales begin at which point many items will see deeper discounts as retailers aim to clear out inventory in time for the new year.

Consumer News: The last day to order from Amazon, Walmart, Target and others if you need gifts by Christmas
Fri, 12 Dec 2025 17:07:05 +0000

Order-by dates: the fine print Santa forgot to mention

By Kyle James of ConsumerAffairs

December 12, 2025

Your real deadline is each stores order by date for Dec. 24 delivery, not Christmas Day
As cutoffs pass, pivot to same-day or pickup options to dodge rush-shipping fees
Watch for exceptions: third-party sellers, heavy freight items, and custom/engraved gifts usually cut off earlier

If youre still adding things to online carts this week, your real deadline isnt Christmas, its each stores shipping cutoff. Most major retailers now post hard order by dates to get packages to your door by Dec. 24. Miss those by even an hour and youre suddenly paying for overnight shipping or scrambling to setup store pickup.

Below is a quick guide to 10 major retailers last day to order dates for Christmas delivery, plus some smart shipping hacks for each store.