10 Common Lies People Tell On Dating Apps — And How To Spot Them Quickly
Halay Alex / Shutterstock Trusting anyone as you venture into the dating world is tough these days.
You might want to go online, but you're afraid that people will lie about who they are. You are not alone — almost one-fourth of young adults use dating websites or apps to seek love.
With this relatively new way to date, you can meet many people who might be good for you. It also brings its own set of problems.
Did you know that 80% of online dating singles have admitted to lying on their profiles? Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Cornell University did a study and found that people who date online lie about things like their height, weight, or age.
That is, a person's profile and the messages they send before a date may not show who they are.
Does that mean everyone is trying to trick you? No. Most of the time, people tell white lies to look better and get a date.
Does his profile for online dating sound too good to be true? There are reasons to doubt: Most people on dating sites don't tell the truth. The good news is that research has shown that people often tell small lies or exaggerations on online dating sites.
However, they rarely tell big lies, which is reassuring. You need to be able to recognize the most common things people choose to lie about on dating sites.
Here are the 10 most common lies told on dating apps
1. Lies about age.
Men and women lie about their age, especially as they age. Many single people say they are 49, but are older. Women's Day cites a study by a site called Beautiful People, who paid for a study to find out why people lie about their age by 5 years. The reason is that they want to show up in more searches.
The problem is that, in the long run, telling this lie won't help you.
2. Lies about their height.
50% of men lie about their height and say they are taller than they are. Ok Cupid did a study and found that taller men got twice as many messages as shorter men.
Guys know that women like taller men. Online, though, shorter women get more attention. Half of the men who lie do it to get a date, hoping that when you meet them, you'll like them no matter how tall they are.
3. Lies about their weight.
To get a date, more women than men lie about their weight.
There's no point in lying about your weight because it will be clear when you meet, which will never lead to a second date.
4. Lies about body type.
People lie when they say what kind of body they have on online dating sites. Men often say they are athletic and in shape, while women say they are curvy or average. The problem is that the average on the website often means that the person is overweight!
People tell me as a dating coach that they have a lot of first dates but no second dates. Why? The truth is they lied about their weight or body type.
People like certain types of people, and if you misrepresent yourself to get them to go on a date with you, they will be disappointed and decide not to see you again. Always remember that you should be with someone who likes you for who you are and how you look.
My advice for your profile is to ensure that your photos and what you like to do match your body type.
5. Lies about income.
People lie about their income. More than anything else in their profile, men thought it was okay to lie about their income or job. They do this because they know that this is important to women.
You shouldn't answer this question in your profile.
6. Lies about job type and titles.
An Australian article shares that 42% of men lie about something at work, while only 32% of women do. Some women also played down how smart they were because they thought men didn't like smart women.
7. Lies in the form of profile pictures.
This is where people lie the most, which was found to be the most dishonest part of an online profile. Single people often post photos that don't show how they look now, like old photos, photos that have been touched up digitally, or just headshots.
I tell people to put up between three and five photos, including a good headshot, a full-body shot, and a photo of them doing something they love. People often ruin their profiles by putting up too many pictures.
The thing about a photo is that you want it to look good but not so good that your date won't recognize you.
8. Lies about interests and hobbies.
This is another place where people often lie to make themselves look better. People may say they like sports, even though it's not something they do very often.
I love the story about a guy who chose women who said they liked to walk along the beach. When he talked to the women and asked if they wanted to go for a walk on the beach, they all said no and said they didn't want to. Many of them said it was something they never do.
Your profile should show what you really like to do. This will help you find someone who likes the same things you do.
9. Lies about relationship intentions.
Many people who use dating sites will say they want a relationship when they really don't. Men do this more often because they have learned that it helps them get what they want.
Guys know that if they say they only want a casual hookup, their chances of getting laid will decrease.
10. Lies about being in a relationship.
GlobalWebIndex (GWI), a research company that published some numbers about Tinder, says that 42% of its users are married!
Obviously, this is the biggest lie of all. No one wants to be in this situation! People in relationships often give themselves away by not having a clear photo of themselves.
Reading about all the lies people tell online may make you feel bad, but don't let this put you off. Just keep in mind that most single people aren't trying to trick you; they want to go out with you.
Sidhharrth S Kumaar is an Astro-numerologist and Founder of NumroVani. He couples his knowledge of the occult and modern sciences together to solve real-world problems in mental well-being and relationship growth. He is also the youngest numerologist TEDx Speaker.