7 Super Obvious Online Dating Red Flags To Watch Out For In 2026

This is the place where people come to find love, not a loan. You’re not going to give money to someone you barely know, even if you’ve been dating them in real life, so don’t do it online either. Someone who is using money or beauty to attract matches is probably up to no good. Sure, everyone wants to appear successful and pretty… But they will do so by writing about their passions and jobs or posting a lot of touch-up-free pictures of themselves. Granted, there are people who are actually looking for something serious among these profiles.

Whether you are reviewing a new profile or chatting through various dating apps, always trust your intuition if something feels wrong about the content they share. Everyone who dates online needs a crash course in online dating red flags. There is no clear evidence showing that Valentine’s Day causes a spike in romance scam victimization. The one period where we did see a substantial rise was during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people were isolated and seeking emotional comfort online. Just as important as spotting red flags is identifying green flags—signs of respect, honesty, and shared values. These include consistency in communication, genuine interest without pressure, and transparency in their profile and conversation.

Make sure you identify the person across different platforms. Use reverse-image searches, which can expose stolen or synthetic photos. A genuine person usually has a broader, consistent digital footprint beyond a single curated profile.

This type of behavior can escalate into harassment or verbal abuse. Upload 6-10 selfies and get ultra-realistic AI photos instantly. A player is someone who is dishonest, self-centered, secretive and aloof. A player could also be someone who is actually honest and direct but has little to no concern or compassion for the feelings of the parties their involved with. Is it based on the behavior itself, or is it an issue of timing or frequency? As for the dudes, put in a little more effort than the “I just woke up” look, but let’s also not only upload pictures of you dressed to the nines, either.

When people give inconclusive or confusing answers, they are often keeping you at a distance. If they dodge simple questions about their lifestyle or history, they might be hiding something significant. You won’t get very far with someone who treats basic transparency as a threat. It feels good to fall in love and crush on someone — but this can make you blind to suspicious behavior.

It’s pretty easy to find statistics that confirm tens of millions of people from the U.S. alone are using online dating platforms. That means there are plenty of dating red flags to watch out for, and hopefully ones that are super obvious these days. This can be quite tiring and exasperating and also points to the level of emotional maturity – as well as what they are really looking for on the first date. Someone who is too persistent in how he messages you can be extremely overwhelming and perhaps an online dating red flag that really puts you off. McAfee’s survey results reveal that 35% of Americans who use dating apps have encountered fake or AI-generated photos or profiles. Be wary of people who always have an excuse not to meet in person.

A player is someone who doesn’t believe that what they’re doing is wrong (therefore normalizes it) or understands what they’re doing is wrong (but does it, anyway). At the same time, a player who is unconscious of their behavior will typically deny the existence or negative side effects and consequences of their behavior. But there are enough specific subtleties that give off player vibes.

Obsessing Over Past Relationships

You only need an internet connection to be able to join dating websites or apps. This low barrier to entry means you might come across some less desirable types on these sorts of platforms. You’ve likely heard this term, but what exactly is love bombing? People test boundaries in many different ways, but one common example is if someone insists on meeting at a private location despite you voicing a preference to meet in a safe, public place. Recovery depends on how the funds were transferred and how quickly you act. In some cases, financial institutions can freeze or reverse transactions.

But after a week, she started demanding daily check-ins and got upset when he didn’t reply within an hour. Through EFT, we explored how her control mirrored unhealthy patterns from his past. He ended the connection and later found a partner who respected his space.

Respectful potential partners allow you to proceed at your own pace. While everyone loves animals, a profile that is 100% pet photos and zero human interaction can be a sign of social avoidance. If their personal photos are entirely replaced by their cat or dog, they may be using their pets as a shield to avoid dealing with real life and real people.

Ignoring Your Boundaries: The Pushy Match

It is not a reason to call things off completely, it just could be that they are a lot less open to people than you may want. When you learn to identify red and green flags, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of what you want, like, and dislike. In turn, you’ll end up on dates with people who are a better match for you. Of course, you’ll have a major head start if you’re using the best dating apps for serious relationships. Most people come with flaws and behavioral issues that are hard to identify even in person.

It’s better to go with your gut instinct and swipe left instead of getting duped or scammed. Romance is brewing online and not in parks, bars, or offices. Sadly, things aren’t as perfect as they seem, and when navigating the experience of finding love in the virtual space, you need to be mindful of the online dating red flags. In fact, one in three McAfee survey respondents said they received an invitation to an “exclusive” or “invite‑only” dating app, and 14% even signed up and shared payment information. These days, scamming has less of a human touch, as would-be criminals simply outsource much of the pesky, time-consuming social engineering tasks to AI chatbots.

Share, But With Caution

I’ve boiled these signs down to five love languages that romance scammers may use when luring a victim on a dating app. Here, we look at online dating red flags that you need to be aware of in order to protect yourself from both physical harms but also emotional hurt. For, while some people use dating websites and apps to start up relationships, some use it for much more superficial reasons.

• „Consistent excuses to dodge face‑to‑face interactions signal they may be hiding their real identity,“ Fabara wrote.
• Online dating, unfortunately, is no exception when it comes to master manipulators and scam artists.
• Online dating red flags in 2026 often involve communication issues like persistent double texting or a person who refuses to ask you out after weeks of talking.
• This low barrier to entry means you might come across some less desirable types on these sorts of platforms.

“You have no need to take less than you deserve,” I tell my clients. Your clipboard, your instincts, and the right match will come to you. That doesn’t even include the level of red flag behaviors on dating apps. While I could write a hefty list, I’m focusing on the ones you really can’t miss, or shouldn’t. If a guy or woman has a dating profile, but very little information is available on social media, you may want to see this as a dating red flag.

While I thought it was too forward of a guy to ask about meeting up within the first handful of exchanged messages, this might not be considered too forward to another. Don’t confuse this with the natural essence of online dating – someone who goes leaps and bounds to prove themselves worthy is usually scripted (aka, it’s their door-to-door sales tactic). Online dating, unfortunately, is no exception when it comes to master manipulators and scam artists. In fact, it’s the perfect place to get their foot in the door, or to obtain your personal information. This means you should be advised against anyone who asks of your place of work, residence (address), or other sensitive information they might use to incriminate you. For real, though, we can’t put it past people to ask for really weird things on the internet.

Yes, we want you to look good, but we don’t have to see the entire process and get the results flaunted in front of our faces. You will run amourfactoryreview.com/legitimacy-and-safety-overview/ into a lot of people who are in no way dangerous, yet they are definitely not the right match for you. Some might not want the same thing as you do, while others are still not done with their past relationships.

Men are more likely to report losses (21 percent) than women (10 percent). And while most losses are under $500 (especially among younger adults who are scammed), some can be in the thousands; only men have reported losses over $5,000. Profiles or messages that complain about dating apps or blame others for their lack of success can signal unrealistic expectations or bitterness that could affect your interactions. This tool will do just that and pull up any hidden social media and dating profiles, photos, criminal records, and much more to hopefully help put your doubts to rest. Either way, it is an online dating warning sign as it means you will invariably be the individual that is doing all the work. There are some people who simply continue the messaging part of online dating for too long.

Read through the above to be aware of what a guy is really looking for when online dating and see whether it matches with your own needs. Or did you just scroll over a fake profile that might be using fake photos? One of the major risks of online dating is that you run into scammers and hackers. You should report them and make the app a safer place for everyone. Survey respondents older than 45 said they encounter fake dating profiles far less often, though it’s unclear whether they were correctly identifying fake or AI-generated photos and profiles.

One person’s warning sign could be someone else’s green light. Identifying red flags requires self-awareness and self-respect. „It’s a journey of understanding your own boundaries, needs, and values,“ Chan says. One of the red flags on dating sites is when there’s too much negativity in your prospective date’s profile. Often, we’ve come across people who are on dating sites but seem like characters straight out of some tragedy, mouthing philosophical dialogues to justify their negativity.

Jumping into talk about future plans or serious commitment after very brief interactions shows a lack of genuine connection and can be a sign of desperation or manipulation. If someone is still technically in a relationship or claims they just ended one the moment they met you, run away. This „monkey-branching“ behavior suggests they cannot be alone and likely haven’t processed their past. This means someone treats dating, the process, the online platform and involved participants like a game, if you will. But what might be unanimously and obviously a red flag in this case? For one thing, saying I Love You too quickly and Love bombing ought to be on that list.

This includes sending unsolicited explicit content or putting pressure on you to send photos of yourself. This behavior demonstrates a total lack of respect for boundaries and consent. Some people on dating apps prefer to keep things on the surface. They might only ask basic questions or actively deflect when you try to have a real conversation.

Be careful of people who use excessive compliments as a gateway to your heart. If someone is focusing on their emotions instead of actually getting to know you enough to form real feelings, it’s a red flag. It’s not your duty to figure out whether they’re right to think poorly about themselves or not. Assume that they know what they’re talking about because you don’t know them that well. The thing is, people will sometimes openly warn you about themselves. They’ll say that they’re trouble, bad for you, or simply not a good match for you.

Fangzhou Wang, assistant professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at The University of Texas at Arlington, studies online fraud, particularly romance scams. She explains the tactics scammers use to gain victims‘ trust for financial gain and shares practical advice on how to stay cautious online. In this guide, we will provide you with practical tips and strategies to spot online dating red flags.

When they try to withdraw, they’re told they must pay fees, taxes, or meet a minimum balance. These hybrid scams are driving a rapid increase in average losses nationwide. It starts with a message that feels like it was meant just for you. Maybe it’s a handsome military officer stationed overseas, or a widowed engineer working a contract “near you”.

It started in NYC back in 2022 as a space for straight women to swap information about shady guys. By 2024, there were over 200 pages for cities all around the world, with over 3.5 million members. While compliments and attention feel good, extreme or excessive flattery right at the start can be manipulation designed to lower your guard. Statements like “you’re my soulmate” after just a few messages are suspicious. If you share a personal anecdote and their immediate response is to one-up you with a „better“ or more dramatic story, they aren’t truly listening.

Not every red flag means you must end things outright, but they do signal the need for caution and further evaluation. Recognizing these signs early can prevent heartache, scams, or abusive situations. You may well start to ascertain from a person’s messages what they are truly using dating apps for. Some people do use it just to have meaningless sex with others – and you could well be one of them. However, if you are using it to seek out a long term relationship and he seems to be consistently suggesting sex, you may want to see this as a warning sign that you want different things.

Scammers can generate artificial faces, create deepfake videos and use voice-cloning technology, making interactions seem realistic to facilitate the scam. I like testing new software for work, but I’m less „plugged in“ to the internet than I used to be. I tend to read app privacy policies to see what kind of data companies collect, and as a result of those findings, I don’t use many mobile apps.

In addition to this being disrespectful and potentially unsafe, Washington notes that it may be a sign they are looking for a hookup rather than a date. They’re saying, ‘I love you,’ and they’re moving very fast in the relationship,” said Rose. Things are not necessarily so hard and fast when it comes to forming relationships, though. You can still date online safely – as long as you stay vigilant and follow some easy steps to verify the people you engage with. As scams become trickier to navigate, we have to learn the clues.

When facts about height, job, or other details constantly change or don’t add up, it suggests dishonesty, which undermines trust from the start. Learn 7 simple hacks to boost your visibility, improve your profile, and double your matches effortlessly. While everyone is busy, a person who consistently takes 24 to 48 hours to reply to a simple text is showing you their level of interest. When someone cares about you, they don’t want to leave you hanging. If you feel like you’re pulling teeth just to get a response, it’s time to exit. If a person uses bigoted, sexist, or hateful language in their bio, take it at face value.

Here is my professional assessment of the red flags to watch for as I integrate stories from clients, research, and my experience with Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). Generative AI tools help anyone, including online financial scammers, create believable fake profiles on dating platforms. They can use real people’s photos and videos posted on social media platforms to generate new audio and photos that appear indistinguishable from reality. Scammers can even use AI to impersonate people on video calls or live video streams. In other words, be careful, because you can’t know if you’re being catfished or defrauded until you see your lover in the flesh. Rose told me that sometimes, there are warning signs that may indicate an online scam is afoot.