If you’ve watched The Tinder Swindler, you know getting scammed on online dating apps is very common. While the virtual dating world opens up a pool of romantic possibilities for all you lovestruck souls, it has also become a safe haven for scammers and fraudsters to fulfil their catfishing escapades. Despite apps like Tinder, Bumble, Hinge and more having effectively put verification checks in place, there’s a plethora of phony profiles to rob you (quite literally) of a smooth dating experience. So how do you detect such fake profiles on dating apps?
Miscreants create fake profiles for various reasons, whether it’s scamming people out of money, seeking validation to feed their ego, taking revenge on previous partners or just exploring their identity. If you’re actively scouring through dating apps, it would be great to familiarise yourself with the red flags that scream ‘fake’.
Whether it’s a sloppily prepared profile having a dearth of photos and information or someone who seems ‘too good to be true’ and wants to establish a relationship quickly – dating apps are filled with sinister scammers.
Here are some tips that’ll help you effectively spot a fake profile on Tinder and other dating apps. Read on!
How to spot a fake profile on Tinder and other dating apps
Inconsistencies/ lack of information and photosin profile
One of the first telltale signs of a fake profile is blank sections especially the ‘About Me’ section. If they have filled out only basics like name, age, and location with no appearance of prompts or questions, chances are it’s fake.
Additionally, a catfish will upload very limited and ‘staged’ photos that are either stolen from other users or random models from Google search. Especially if their photos come with a good old white backdrop, consider it hauled from the internet. Unclear and blurry pictures also fit the bill while deciphering dubious profiles.
When it comes to inconsistencies, you’ll find that many of these fake profile bios are filled with grammatical errors or over-the-top inspirational quotes or invitations to click on malware links. These are the signs that you could be dealing with accounts created by chat bots, also known as dating-app bots.
A ‘too good to be true’ profile
While some catfish accounts lack basic information, others are too overly-exaggerated and well-written. You’ll find these people thriving in their careers, travelling and enjoying their dream lives, looking stunning in their ‘photoshoot-like’ pictures – basically being a work of fiction!
This is all a facade to lure unsuspecting daters and then defraud them by stealing sensitive information. If you’re a seasoned dating app user, you know how authentic profiles operate. If not, then we recommend you simply look these people up on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or Google and see if there’s any credibility to their profile.
In case of dubious photos, you can simply do a quick reverse image search on Google Images. Visit the Google Images website and select the camera icon. Upload the photo or any screenshot on your phone and Google will find out where else the image has been used on the web. Stay alert, folks!
They’re keen on getting your personal information, whereabouts
Scammers definitely don’t want to waste their time indulging in small talk! So, they’ll often try to get things off the app by asking for your phone number, e-mail address or where you reside. Getting off dating apps quickly helps them avoid the site’s stringent protocols (to avoid getting banned). By knowing your personal details, scammers have an uncomplicated way of defrauding you.
They can’t hold normal conversations
If real dating app users struggle to strike up conversations, imagine how bad it can be conversing with a bot. Grammatical and spelling errors, generic/ robotic responses and inconsistency are major red flags telling you that a bot or someone from another country is controlling the profile. What’s worse, these profiles might also forward you links you don’t recognize. Never click on them as they might be used in phishing scams or infecting your device with malicious software.
The best way to catch a bot is to ask it very specific questions. Something like ‘Hey, you’re not far from me! Have you ever tried a restaurant/bar/day out?‘ or ‘I saw you also like (hobby])and couldn’t not swipe right! How did you get into it?’ will help you get clarity. How? Because it’s never answered properly, or the answer is completely unrelated.
No social media handles to back their authenticity
One of the best ways to ensure you’re talking to a real human is to check if they’ve linked their social media pages to their dating profile. Many users plug in their Instagram or Snapchat handles for forging a genuine connection with their matches, but scammers? They won’t bother establishing ‘authentic looking’ social media to back their fake claims.
Dating apps like Tinder and Bumble also have dedicated teams tasked to conduct reviews of every profile and check for violations. Always look for social media links and check if they have real photos and human-sounding captions or bios. Also, check if they have a good number of followers/ following or fake bots fill their ID. Lastly, look for tagged photos and activities with friends. If they’ve created a fake dating profile, chances are they’re fake across platforms.
They’re never available for phone calls or video chats
Imagine investing so much time in someone, only to realise they’re an imposter! Save yourself the misery by initiating a phone call or video chat before it’s too late. A scammer will turn down all such requests despite you two talking for several days, which means it’s time to report them and move on!
Even if they do pick up your call, notice that their camera might be covered, or their voice would be too distorted/ hazy or sound different than you imagined. Profiles that avoid any ‘real’ interaction are absolutely fake!
They bombard you with affection to win your trust
If you find things escalating too quickly, stop right there! A scammer will try to lure you with mushy/over-affectionate texts and overwhelming promises, thereby winning your trust to scam you. If you feel uncomfortable with this too-over-the-top intimacy and love bombing, it’s best to report their ID. Some scammers also use inappropriate or sexual content to entice their victims into giving away. So be very cautious of that. At no point, exchange intimate photos/ videos or trust them with your financial information!
We hope these tips help you navigate the online dating world safely!
(Hero and feature image credit: storyset/ Freepik)
