How To Spot A Fake Dating Profile

Not all dating profiles are real. Some were created by bots and scammers. That is why you need to be careful with people you share personal information with, online. Here are some guidelines on how to spot a fake dating profile.

Research shows that 10% of online dating profiles are fake. Identifying these fake profiles will not only save you from wasting your time trying to find love with spurious profiles but will also save you from scammers.

People open dating profiles for many reasons. Whereas some want to find love online, others see it as an avenue to scam people. But no matter what your reasons are, here are the ways to recognize a fake profile on dating sites. Whether, on Tinder, Match, E-harmony, Zoosk, OkCupid, Facebook dating profile, or whichever site you are using.

Read also: Tips for online dating.

How To Spot A Fake Dating Profile

1. They have only one picture

Most fake profiles have one or two pictures on them. It is a red flag that such a profile is not genuine. Although everyone is now intelligent. Today, you can even see some fake profiles with many pictures. But that shouldn’t confuse you. Rather, what you should do is to check to know the last time the profile was updated with new pictures.

Read also: Our latest research about online dating.

2. They look so famous on their profile

Most scammers use stock photos as their profiles. They download images of famous people or celebrities in their locale and upload them. Whenever you see such an image in a dating app, it is a red flag that such a profile is fake.

Those pictures look so clean and attractive. Most of them are studio pics and you will hardly see the ones they snapped on their own.

Read also: How to write a dating profile.

3. They ask for money

When you are chatting with a scammer on a dating site, the first thing they do is to make a request from you. They may tell you some sad stories in order to believe them. Or they may just ask you to send them a little money to help a loved one in the hospital. This is a sign that you are not chatting with a real person on a dating site.

And mind you, they may decide to make this request when they discover they have gotten your attention. I have read some stories of women who were duped on dating sites by their online lovers. So, whenever your match makes monetary demands before meeting in person, it is an indication that the profile is fake.

4. They want to meet you asap

No real person will ever think of meeting an online lover asap without first trying to know each other enough. But scammers will like to meet you in person before even knowing much about you.

I have heard some stories of women who were raped, robbed, and even killed in the process. So, be wise and take heed of this red flag.

Read also: How to safely meet someone online from a different country

5. The profile is usually empty

Fake profiles are usually empty. Whereas some lack descriptions about the owner of the profile, others have. But the only way you can know if it is a real profile or a fake one is by carefully reading the about me section.

Fake profiles are filled with flattering descriptions. They may even take out time to view other people’s profiles to see their likes and dislikes in order to draft their own. Whereas some include a fake location in their profile, some don’t. Some even claim to work in various high places just to attract the type of people they are looking for.

How to recognize a genuine profile on a dating site

1. They have a lot of pictures on it

Real profiles are updated consistently. Not only with pictures, but with articles also.

They have a lot of pictures that show their body. It is not like fake profiles that are filled with stock images. Genuine social media account or dating profiles have photos of the owner of the account, their friends, or the ones they snapped with their family members.

2. They include their social media handle on their profile

Real profiles include their social media handle on their dating app. This is to prove that they are legit and you can visit their social media account to know more about them. And most real dating accounts don’t feel all the information provided. They may decide to do that later. But fake ones will never be in a haste to fill their profiles. The reason is that they want their account to match what or who you are looking for. So, they will spend more time, trying to make their profile look attractive.

Have you ever stumbled on a fake dating profile before? Share how you identified it with us in the comment section below.