Tinder Catfishing: How to Spot and Avoid Scammers Online

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Not sure if you’ve reeled in a Tinder catfish? Here’s how to find out
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Your latest Tinder match is absolutely perfect—a little too perfect, in fact. All of their selfies are fire, they’re throwing affection at you left and right, but they always seem a little shy when you suggest meeting up in person. Are you getting catfished, or is this person really as flawless as they seem to be? We’re here to help. Keep scrolling to learn how to tell if a Tinder profile is a catfish, and how you can avoid these accounts in the future.

Things You Should Know

  • Take a close look at the person’s Tinder profile. Catfishers often use unclear or super high-quality profile pictures to avoid suspicion.
  • Ask your Tinder match to video chat with you or meet up in person—catfishers typically make excuses to get out of these meetings.
  • Research the person’s name and profile right off the bat to see if they seem legit. If they don’t pass the vibe check, save yourself the trouble and cut ties.
  • Break things off with a catfisher as soon as you suspect something is up, and report the profile to Tinder. You can also report your case to the police.
Section 1 of 4:

Signs of a Tinder Catfish

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  1. Catfishers love to use profile pictures that aren’t up-close or detailed—for instance, the person might be standing far away from the camera, or they might obscure themselves with a big accessory. [1] Catfishers might not feature a lot of pictures of themselves, either, and post just 1 photo to their profile. [2] Here are some other warning signs to be on the lookout for:
    • Catfishers may use stock/watermarked photos as their profile pics, or try to pass off a screenshot as a legit photo. [3]
    • Catfishers sometimes steal and repurpose super professional pictures for their profile that look a little too good to be true. [4]
    • If the catfisher sends you multiple pictures, the photos might seem to feature similar-looking (but still distinctly different) people. [5]
  2. The average Tinder user is a pretty normal person—they aren’t filthy rich, they aren’t besties with a bunch of celebrities, and they certainly aren’t about to jet-set with you around the world. If your Tinder match tries to offer you the entire universe on a silver platter, they’re most likely lying to you. [6]
    • They might offer to take you on an expensive vacation, or may even try to pass themselves off as a celebrity.
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  3. Tinder lets users link their Instagram account directly to their profile—so, if the potential catfisher has an Instagram link at the ready, be sure to check it out. [7] Legitimate Instagram accounts typically feature a variety of pics, including photos with their friends and loved ones. Real people also post pictures from different locations (rather than just selfies taken at indiscernible spots). [8]
    • Look them up on other social media platforms too, like Twitter and Facebook. Do their pictures line up with their Instagram and Tinder? If so, does their account seem active and well-used?
  4. Catfishers love to lay it on thick—they’ll constantly talk about how lucky they are to have met you, and how you both are soulmates or a match made in heaven. They’ll spend so much time learning and gushing about you, but won’t volunteer a ton of information about themselves. [9]
    • Remember: any healthy relationship takes time to grow and blossom. If someone is trying to speed things along, they likely don’t have good intentions.
  5. Platforms like Tinder have the technology to detect (and get rid) scammy and suspicious profiles. To prevent this from happening, catfishers like to switch venues and chat on apps like Kik or WhatsApp (or, they might go old-school and ask for your email). If they immediately try to change communication methods, proceed with caution. [10]
  6. Obviously, catfishers know their ruse will be up once you realize that they don’t look or sound like the person they’re pretending to be. With this in mind, many catfishers try to keep communication digital for as long as possible. If they keep making excuses to get out of video chats, phone calls, and physical meet-ups, there’s a good chance that something’s amiss. [11]
  7. Yes, there are plenty of people who are struggling financially—but most well-meaning people don’t go on Tinder to ask people for help. Any sort of request for money is a huge red flag, and a big sign that your Tinder match is just trying to scam you. [12]
    • If you’re looking for a sugar momma or daddy on Tinder, asking for money or your financial information can be a sign that they’re a scammer.
    • Reader Poll: We asked 413 wikiHow readers, and 64% of them agreed that constantly asking for financial support would make them doubt if a sugar momma is actually wealthy. [Take Poll]
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Section 2 of 4:

How to Avoid Getting Catfished

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  1. While you’re on the computer, right-click on one of the suspected catfisher’s profile pics and copy the image’s link address. Then, head over to a reverse image search engine like Google Lens or TinEye and paste the link in the search bar. In just a few seconds, you can see if the profile picture is legit or not. [13]
    • Click the camera icon on the Google Images search bar to access Google Lens, the search engine’s reverse image searching feature.
    • Some catfishers simply steal pictures off the internet and use them in their Tinder profile. A reverse image search reveals where the photo was originally posted.
    • Cross-check multiple profile pictures to be extra thorough.
  2. Head over to apps like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook and look up the person’s name. If you do find additional profiles, take a closer look at them—catfishers often don’t include a lot of pictures on their fake social media accounts, and the pictures they do include don’t really line up with their Tinder profile. [14]
    • A simple Google search of the person can go a long way, too. [15]
    • Paid services like Social Catfish can do the legwork for you by taking a deep digital dive into your Tinder match.
  3. Tinder has a security feature where users can “verify” themselves by completing Photo Verification. After successfully completing this process, Tinder awards these accounts with a special blue checkmark. [16] If you’d like to play it extra safe, limit your Tinder interactions only to people who have this label on their account.
  4. For obvious reasons, catfishers usually like to keep all of their interactions completely digital. If they seem cagey or evasive after you ask to video chat, call, or meet up in some way, simply cut ties and move on to a different Tinder match. [17]
    • At the end of the day, your emotional wellbeing comes first. It’s better to play it safe and only invest time in people who can prove that that they’re legit.
  5. There’s nothing wrong with sharing your concerns if your Tinder match is acting pretty sus. Share how you’re feeling, and give them a chance to explain themselves. If they still aren’t passing the vibe check, it’s totally fine to cut things off. [18]
    • “I gotta be real with you—you’re kinda coming off like a catfish. A good friend of mine was catfished in the past, so I just want to be careful before I take this any further.”
    • “Sorry if this sounds rude, but your profile seems really catfish-y. (Seriously, how do all your pics look so perfect?!) Would you be cool with video-chatting sometime just for my own peace of mind?”
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Section 3 of 4:

What to Do If You’re Catfished

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  1. If your catfisher does agree to meet up with you, it can be wildly uncomfortable and even scary to realize you’re being tricked in real time. You’re totally within your right to leave without talking to them, but it’s also perfectly fine to confront them or offer an excuse before you part ways. [19]
    • “You’re obviously not who you said you were on Tinder. That makes me really uncomfortable, so I’m going to head out.”
    • “Sorry, I’m feeling really under the weather. I’m going to go home.”
    • “My friend really needs my help with something—I’ve got to jet.”
  2. Cut ties with the catfisher and end the relationship . If you feel up to it, let the catfisher know that you’ve caught onto their ruse and give them a chance to come clean. You absolutely don’t have to do this, though—it’s completely fine to just block the catfisher’s Tinder profile and block their cell number to end things permanently. [20]
    • If you’ve spoken with them on social media, make sure to block them there, too. That way, they have no way to get in touch with you.
    • Before you block them, consider taking a few screenshots of their profile and your conversations—these can be used as evidence. [21]
  3. Head over to the catfisher’s profile and scroll down to the very bottom. Then, hit the Report option to officially report the profile to Tinder. With any luck, Tinder will take action and suspend the account before anyone else can get scammed. [22]
  4. Catfishing is against the law, since it often involves impersonation (and even scamming). If you feel comfortable, head to the police station and share your experience (and show them your evidence, if you have any). Depending on the situation, the police might be able to pursue legal action. [23]
  5. If you and the catfisher had any mutual friends/followers on social media, shoot them a quick DM to let them know about the catfisher’s true identity. The more people who know the truth, the better! [24] Just keep in mind that people your catfisher introduced you to might already be in on the ruse.
    • Tinder has an experimental “Friends of Friends” feature (available to a select amount of users) that lets you see your mutual Tinder connections. If you have this feature unlocked, see if you have any mutual connections with the catfisher so you can let them know what’s up.
  6. It’s completely understandable and valid to feel embarrassed, upset, and angry after discovering that you were catfished, but you have nothing to be ashamed of. Chances are, you signed up for Tinder with the optimistic hope that you’d meet new people—and it’s not at all your fault that someone took advantage of that. Feel free to lean on your friends and loved ones as you heal from this hurtful experience.
    • There’s nothing wrong with taking a break from dating apps during this tough time, too.
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Section 4 of 4:

Why do people catfish others?

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  1. Some people see catfishing as an opportunity to gain popularity and attention, while other people use fake profiles because they don’t have a positive image of themselves. [25] Other catfishers might create the ruse in an attempt to steal money—or, they might just trick people for the sake of being cruel. Regardless of the reason or motivation, it’s important to remember that catfishing is always the catfisher’s fault and never the victim’s. [26]

Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I know if I'm talking to a real person or an AI?
    Naveh Ben Dror
    Social Media Security Expert
    Naveh Ben Dror is a Social Media Security Expert and the CEO of Spikerz based in Tel Aviv, Israel. Naveh and his team provide social media protection for content creators, businesses, and enterprises. His professional background is in international brand marketing and e-commerce. Naveh received both his Bachelor of Law and MBA from Reichman University.
    Naveh Ben Dror
    Social Media Security Expert
    Expert Answer
    To determine if you're conversing with a real person or an AI on Tinder, pay attention to several key indicators. Firstly, observe the quality and coherence of the conversation. Real people typically engage in natural, fluid dialogue with varied responses and emotions, while AI-generated responses may seem more scripted or repetitive. Secondly, consider the timing and frequency of messages. Real users may respond sporadically based on their availability, whereas AI bots may reply instantly and consistently, regardless of the time of day. Thirdly, analyze the content of the messages. Genuine users often share personal anecdotes, ask questions, and express genuine interest in getting to know you, while AI bots may steer the conversation towards predetermined topics or prompts. Additionally, look for inconsistencies or errors in the conversation, such as abrupt topic changes or nonsensical responses, which may indicate automated responses. Lastly, if you suspect you're talking to an AI, try asking open-ended questions or using sarcasm to gauge the authenticity of the responses. By carefully observing these factors, you can better discern whether you're interacting with a real person or an AI on Tinder.
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      Tips

      • Always trust your gut when you’re surfing the sea of Tinder matches. If someone seems too good to be true, they probably are. [27]
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      Warnings

      • If the potential catfisher offers to meet in person, always meet in a public space. Before you head out, let a friend or loved one know where you’re going and when you expect to be back. Also, make sure you have your own transportation to get to and from the meetup, so you don’t need your date to give you a ride home. [28]
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      • Some scammers don’t have the best English skills, and might make repeated spelling and grammar errors in their messages. [29]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.burnettfoundation.org.nz/articles/culture/touching-tips-clocking-catfish-before-they-catch-you/
      2. ↑ https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/money-legal/scams-fraud/how-to-spot-a-catfish/
      3. ↑ https://www.burnettfoundation.org.nz/articles/culture/touching-tips-clocking-catfish-before-they-catch-you/
      4. ↑ https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/money-legal/scams-fraud/how-to-spot-a-catfish/
      5. ↑ https://www.burnettfoundation.org.nz/articles/culture/touching-tips-clocking-catfish-before-they-catch-you/
      6. ↑ https://www.ditchthelabel.org/how-to-spot-a-catfish/
      7. ↑ https://www.help.tinder.com/hc/en-us/articles/115003339243-Connect-Instagram-to-Tinder
      8. ↑ https://www.ditchthelabel.org/how-to-spot-a-catfish/
      9. ↑ https://www.getsafeonline.org/personal/blog-item/catfishing-and-how-to-spot-the-signs/
      1. ↑ https://www.getsafeonline.org/personal/blog-item/catfishing-and-how-to-spot-the-signs/
      2. ↑ https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/money-legal/scams-fraud/how-to-spot-a-catfish/
      3. ↑ https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/money-legal/scams-fraud/how-to-spot-a-catfish/
      4. ↑ https://www.ditchthelabel.org/how-to-spot-a-catfish/
      5. ↑ https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/money-legal/scams-fraud/how-to-spot-a-catfish/
      6. ↑ https://www.ditchthelabel.org/how-to-spot-a-catfish/
      7. ↑ https://www.help.tinder.com/hc/en-us/articles/360034941812-Photo-Verification
      8. ↑ https://www.burnettfoundation.org.nz/articles/culture/touching-tips-clocking-catfish-before-they-catch-you/
      9. ↑ https://www.burnettfoundation.org.nz/articles/culture/touching-tips-clocking-catfish-before-they-catch-you/
      10. ↑ https://www.burnettfoundation.org.nz/articles/culture/touching-tips-clocking-catfish-before-they-catch-you/
      11. ↑ https://www.ditchthelabel.org/how-to-spot-a-catfish/
      12. ↑ https://www.burnettfoundation.org.nz/articles/culture/touching-tips-clocking-catfish-before-they-catch-you/
      13. ↑ https://www.help.tinder.com/hc/en-us/articles/115003359426-How-do-I-report-someone-
      14. ↑ https://www.burnettfoundation.org.nz/articles/culture/touching-tips-clocking-catfish-before-they-catch-you/
      15. ↑ https://www.ditchthelabel.org/how-to-spot-a-catfish/
      16. ↑ https://phys.org/news/2018-07-catfish-people-onlineit-money.html
      17. ↑ https://www.burnettfoundation.org.nz/articles/culture/touching-tips-clocking-catfish-before-they-catch-you/
      18. ↑ https://www.ditchthelabel.org/how-to-spot-a-catfish/
      19. ↑ https://www.rainn.org/articles/online-dating-and-dating-app-safety-tips
      20. ↑ https://www.ditchthelabel.org/how-to-spot-a-catfish/

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