The 2022 headline is this: scammers stole a LOT of money. The latest FTC data book says people reported losing $8.8 billion to scams. That’s $2.6 billion more than 2021. Except the number of reports are down by half a million (2022: 2.4 million reports. 2021: 2.9 million reports).

Romance scammers tell all sorts of lies to steal your heart and money, and reports to the FTC show those lies are working. Last year’s romance scam numbers looked a lot like 2021 all over again, and it’s not a pretty picture. In 2022, nearly 70,000 people reported a romance scam, and reported losses hit a staggering $1.3 billion. The median reported loss: $4,400.

Some businesses offer “buy now, pay later” plans, which let you get your purchase right away and pay for it over a few weeks or months, sometimes without paying interest. Here’s what to know before you decide if a buy now, pay later plan is right for you now — and later.