How to Spot Fake Profiles While Dating Online

We all like online dating. And while enjoying your dating app experience there is nothing better than knowing that you are communicating with real people and you are safe from fraud and scam.

Unfortunately, it's not always possible. On Meetville we try to spot scammers and block them immediately. Though there is always a slight possibility that you can meet a fake profile instead of a real user. So, where are they all coming from? And why? 

The most popular reason for scamming is your money and data. Imagine, you met this guy online, he has some photos with his cute dog and you have so much in common. But suddenly his dog needs an immediate surgery, or he wants to visit you in another city, or he just left his job and has money difficulties, so he asks you to send him some money, or give him your home address and so on. Be sure, this is a scammer. They are going to make you feel like you are soulmates and it's your true love. And you won't even realize that something is wrong until you've done what they wanted. 

So what do you need to do in such situations? The easiest way to find out if you are chatting with a scammer or not is the first steps in your communication. So, here are some tips how to spot fake profiles while dating online.

You get what you pay for

Of course, when you are using a dating app and it asks you to buy a paid membership, you wonder why do you need it if you can find your love and chat for free. The statistics shows that the websites with the paid memberships are less likely to attract spammers. For example, Meetville app allows paid users manage much more features than in a free membership and you can be sure that a scammer would never pay to buy a membership for their fake profile.

What is in profile

One of the easiest ways to spot a fake profile before starting chatting with this user is to check their profile information. Most of the scammers don't pay much attention and time to fill this section, so you will notice that immediately. It also may have a weird description or be written in basic English with lots of grammar mistakes. 

Also, don't underestimate their profile picture. It's really convenient that nowadays dating apps have a feature that allows uploading several photos on their profile. If it's a fake profile, the photo would be fake as well. So, firstly, check that a profile has not one but at least 3-4 photos in different locations taken from different angles. Also, try to avoid photos that look like a modeling picture from a magazine. There is a high probability that it's gonna be a fake. 

Look for some specific characteristics

In order to make you notice a scammer, they are trying to make their fake profiles attractive. It's not only about their profile picture but also about some other personal characteristics that people find attractive. 

The Scamalytics, a company which runs anti-scammer software for a number of the major dating sites, analysed the top 3,000 scammer profiles and discovered what constitutes the ‘most attractive’ female and male propositions to those targeted by romance scammers.

The male profile is in his late 40s (48 is the most common age) with a high income. He presents himself as a widower, with a degree and of average height (5’10”). He is most likely to have a career in engineering, has no interest in politics, a full head of light brown hair, and the photos are often taken at a slight distance.

The female profile is in her 20s (29 was the most common age), and also has a high income. She presents herself as a student, also with a degree and no interest in politics. She is 5’6”, has never been married, and has long brown hair and blue eyes. Photos used are often selfies of her wearing skimpy vest tops showing lots of cleavages.

Read also: Fraud And Scam Warning From Meetville

Knowing these tips would really help you to spot a fake online dating profile. Though they still don't guarantee that scammers are going to use only these features and won't change their style through the time. Try to follow the basic rules of online safety and if you are not sure if the person you like is real or not, try to suggest meeting in your city. Most scammers live abroad and they definitely won't be able to meet you. 

Still, dating online is really fun, so enjoy it fully! And don't forget to install Meetville app on Android and iOS right now and go on a date with local singles!