Spotting fake profiles on dating apps: 7 warning signs

The range goes from harmless bots to sophisticated scam operations that build trust over weeks and then demand money.

Warning sign 1: Photos too perfect. Model-like photos without any everyday life. Reverse image search (Google or TinEye) often reveals the photo comes from another profile or stock photo service.

Warning sign 2: Only one or two photos. Real profiles have multiple photos from different situations. A single flawless photo can be a warning sign.

Warning sign 3: Conversation moves too fast. "You're the only one I've ever loved" after three messages: that's love bombing, and the German police describe declarations of love right after the first contact as a typical scammer pattern (source 2).

Warning sign 4: No willingness to call or video. When someone always has an excuse for why a call or video chat won't work, that's a clear warning sign. It isn't proof; some people are simply shy. And the other way round, a call alone exposes no one: according to the police, some scammers do make phone calls, just without video (source 2).

Warning sign 5: Biography sounds too good. The German police list typical professions scammers claim, such as engineer, oil industry designer, US soldier, nurse, doctor or businesswoman (source 2). Often the job conveniently explains why the person is far away or can't access their money right now.

Warning sign 6: Strange grammar. Bots and some scammers often write in overly formal or unnatural language. Good German is no all-clear, though: according to the police, scammers mostly write in good English, and many speak perfect German (source 1).

Warning sign 7: Asks for money or personal data. Money requests, links to external sites, questions about bank accounts. Stop and report immediately.

What a call can do: At talkbeforedate, you call each other anonymously before you meet. That's an extra check, not a guarantee. A call makes things hard for a simple chat bot, and you get an impression of the person behind the profile. But voices can now be faked with AI, including for fraudulent calls (source 3). So the warning signs above still apply after a nice call, especially number 7.