If you’ve tried to date online for a while, then you’ve probably landed on a few fake profiles or a scammer love message. While these profiles may try to fool you that they’re real profiles with real people behind them, they’re usually created by scammers or catfishers.
Such profiles work because the people behind them make them look as legit as they possibly can.
However, a few tell-tale signs can be the red flags you want to watch out for. Once you know how to spot a fake profile, you’ll be well on your way to saving yourself a lot of time, and possibly, unnecessary heartache.
Here’s how to spot a dating scammer using a fake online profile.
The Only Photo They Have Is One Of A Model
When you spot a profile like this one, chances are the person behind the profile isn’t who they claim to be. If there’s such a photo on the profile, there’s no need to click on the profile. Some genuine people use such photos. However, having someone else’ photo on your profile could mean that they’re too lazy to take a proper one of their own (which is a signal to other issues).
They Send You Links To Other Sites
Before you decide to click on the link this person is sending you, think of the possibilities. This could be someone trying to get you to join their porn site, or someone else trying to market their page.
This isn’t the reason people should be on dating sites.
They’ve Got A Scanty Profile.
If you come across a barely filled out profile, it could mean that the person is a lazy scammer, or they don’t care as much about their image to complete their profile. Either way, you’re better off not trying to interact with the profile in question. Trust what your instincts tell you and exercise utmost caution if you decide to interact with the person behind it.
They Have A Small Social Network
Let’s take a look at the popular social networking site Facebook to understand this concept. The average Facebook profile would have 130 friends in their network. If the number is significantly lower, say maybe 20-50, or even none, that’s a red flag you shouldn’t ignore.
The profile could belong to a robot/scammer or an imposter. Many dating apps allow users to link their social pages so you should do a little digging.
They’re A Celebrity Or Other Famous Person
While famous people may have genuine profiles on dating sites, you still have to be careful. You need to trust your instincts even if you feel yourself falling in love with the other person. Now is not the time to abandon all the useful rules you use in real life because of a sexy smile.
Conclusion
Online dating can be fun once you learn how to manoeuvre past fake profiles and scammers. If you want to be 100% sure that you’re talking to a real person, send a request to face time them and see if they’ll respond in the affirmative.
