Preview in:
Unfortunately, even though it has become easier to find a potential date online, it has also become much easier to scam people on a massive scale. We need to know how to prevent this. So let’s start with some of the top red flags you should watch out for when chatting with someone on dating apps.
Love or Fraud? How to spot and avoid online Valentine’s Day scams
Online dating: 10 red flags you shouldn’t ignore
- Too good to be true: a perfect profile photo (likely taken from a stock service)
- Little or no information about basic background (job experience, country/city of residence, etc.)
- The story doesn’t match when you ask detailed questions or repeat the same question later (this is often a sign of a fake profile)
- Refuse to meet via video chat or send additional photos.
- Immediate expressions of love: a manipulation tactic that pretends it’s love at first sight online.
- Pressure to leave the app and continue the conversation through direct messaging platforms.
- Unexpected requests for financial help, often following stories about a stolen or blocked card
- Sending suspicious links or making unusual requests that ask for personal details or encourage you to leave the app.
- Poor language or messages that follow a bot-like template.
- Generic message style: pay attention to repeated greetings, goodbyes, and expressions.
How to spot a fake dating profile?
Apart from the red flags mentioned above, you can also check if a profile is fake or suspicious and even just reassure that the person you’re speaking to matches the photo.
Avoiding Online Dating Scams Just Got Easier: Spot Deepfakes
The easiest way is to check that photo via a reverse face search tool. But only check with the one which has a facial recognition engine - as lenso.ai, for example.
Spot fake dating profile with a reverse face search tool
All you need is a photo of the person you’re chatting with. If you have multiple photos, it’s even better to run them all through a face search tool, as different images can sometimes yield different results.
Spot catfish online using facial recognition tools!
Then go to lenso.ai and upload a photo. If there any face matches, you will find it under “People” category:
Also, check for ‘Duplicates’ to see if the exact image appears elsewhere online. If it’s a lazy catfisher, they will probably use the same image across different dating platforms - this can be an important clue.
Under each image, you’ll see a URL (or multiple URLs) showing where the image was originally found - this can answer many of your questions.
On these pages, you can check:
- Personal information about the person (name, surname)
- Basic background details
- Associations (for example, lenso may find images of this person with someone else, which can provide additional context)
- Whether the image has appeared on catfishing or scam forums
With lenso.ai you can also:
- Create a free alert to be notified of any new image matches as soon as they appear online. This is a perfect solution if you’re continuing to communicate with someone but want to stay sure about their authenticity.
- You can also filter the image search by specific domains, especially if you know sites that often expose dating scams.
Protecting Your Privacy Beyond Dating Apps
While reverse image searches can help you spot fake profiles, it's also important to consider your own digital footprint. Services like Incogni can help you remove your personal information from data brokers, reducing the risk of it being used to create fake profiles or for other malicious purposes. This protects you from potential scammers and safeguards your online privacy.
Author
Julia Mykhailiuk
Marketing Specialist
Continue reading
Guides
Image search for investigations: How to find more information from a photo?
Sometimes, an image is all we have: no additional information or background history, just a photo or recording. Is that enough to start an investigation? It may not be ideal, but it is enough to perform an image search, which can uncover valuable information and support the investigation. So, how can you find more information from a photo?
Guides
Copyright protection for YouTubers: how to find stolen thumbnails and profile photos?
YouTube creators sometimes spend hours working on a new video, and the worst thing that can happen is that someone simply steals it, reuses it inappropriately, and the creator receives no credit for it. How can you find stolen content and protect your copyright as part of the YouTube community?
Guides
How to Delete Your Face from the Internet? Top DMCA and Opt-out Methods
Are there images of your face on the internet that you’d like to take down? Read this tutorial to learn the best methods of finding and deleting your photos online!
.png?tr=w-768,h-auto)
Guides
How can reverse image search be useful on vacation?
There is no need to convince anyone that the Internet is extremely helpful when traveling - we use it not only to check maps, book accommodation, order taxis, or stay in touch with loved ones, but also to search for information about the places we visit. However, not everyone knows that so-called reverse image search can also help with discovering new places, although it also requires an Internet connection to work.
Guides
5 Best Tenant Screening Platforms for Landlords
Students, foreigners, travelers, or anyone moving to a new town are all potential tenants. There's nothing wrong with wanting to do an extra background check or simply verify who will be living in your property. How can you do it? Easily, with tenant screening platforms.