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Most of the people on online dating sites are honest and have good
intentions, but some people are misleading. Here are
some tips for spotting the fakes:
- Know what you're looking for. The most common things people mislead about
in online dating profiles are: weight, general physical appearance (using old photos), and age.
Other fudge factors include height, income, and marital status. Besides outright mis-information,
be on the lookout for people who are overly secretive, hostile, or manipulative.
- Check the picture(s). If the person has only one or two pictures posted and they are
out of focus, look old or look like "the one time they ever took a good picture," be wary.
- Read the essays. Do they freely disclose basic info about who they are, what they do, and
what they are looking for, or do they seem secretive, overly vague, or like they are hiding
something.
- Check for multiple profiles. Some people post multiple profiles with different
ages, pictures, etc. to attract different people. Find 1 or 2 unique keywords in their essays and
search by keyword to see if they come up multiple times.
- TrueDater them. Always check to see if the person has been reviewed on
TrueDater.com. Just enter the dating
site and their profile ID. Also enter reviews of people you have dated. Save yourself
and others wasted time and heartache.
- Ask them. If their profile looks okay, email or chat with them. See if they
sound like the person in the profile. If their photos aren't clear or don't show their body,
ask them to send more. If they refuse, be wary. Ask them about their job or other details
to see if they sound genuine.
- Google them. It's always fun and sometimes revealing to do a Google search on the person.
Just type their first and last name into Google. Also check for variations like
"Mike" for "Michael." Don't jump to conclusions if you see something negative,
remember it could be a different person with the same name. Of course, you will need to know their name to do this.
- Ask your friends. If the person is local, ask your friends if they have met them. You never
know who has met who on an online dating site, and it's fun to swap online dating stories.
- Do a background check. If you want to be very cautious, you can pay a fee to run a
criminal background check, similar to what companies do before they hire new employees. Be sure
to find out exactly what the service checks for and what they don't. Many states and counties don't
report criminal backgrounds and previous or current marriages can be very difficult to find.
- Trust your gut. Last but not least, always trust your gut. If you feel someone isn't
being genuine for any reason, walk away. There are plenty of fish in the sea, it's better to
pass on someone than take an unnecessary risk.
Good luck!
Best,
JJ & JD
TrueDater
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