The US government consumer protection agency warned Americans on Tuesday to be on the lookout for online dating scams.

"Scammers sometimes use online dating and social networking sites to try to convince people to send money in the name of love," the Federal Trade Commission said.

"In a typical scenario, the scam artist creates a fake profile, gains the trust of an online love interest, and then asks that person to wire money -- usually to a location outside the United States," the FTC said.