With over four in ten (41%) singles looking for love this February, more than a third (36%) admit to telling white lies on dating sites to make a good impression, new research from Nationwide shows.
Despite this, more than one in ten (11%) aren’t confident they could spot an actual romance scam, where a criminal uses a fake online identity to gain someone’s affection and trust before manipulating or stealing money from their victim.
More worryingly still, more than four in ten (46%) would ignore red flags and continue messaging or meeting someone they have met online (44%), even if something seemed off.
According to the poll of 2,001 singles, the top 10 most common white lies singles tell online are (percentage of people having admitted to doing):
- Using an old photo: 26% (men: 26% vs women: 27%)
- Using a photo with a filter: 25% (men: 17% vs women: 31%)
- Agreeing with the date’s opinions: 18% (men: 19% vs women: 17%)
- Fabricating or exaggerating interests (e.g. sport or music): 15% (men: 16% vs women: 15%)
- Photoshopping photos: 11% (men: 10% vs women: 12%)
- Exaggerating job role or salary: 8% (men: 12% vs women: 5%)
- Exaggerating reading list: 7% (men: 8% vs women: 6%)
- Making up family history or where you’re from: 6% (men: 7% vs women: 4%)
- Exaggerating height: 5% (men:7% vs women: 4%)
- Pretending to be related to a celebrity: 3% (men: 3% vs women: 3%)
While harmless embellishments are common, increased online activity brings with it a rise in scammers attempting to exploit people searching for their next relationship. The threat increases in February, with the research highlighting that almost a quarter of people (24%) feel under pressure to have a date around Valentine’s Day, while nearly three in ten (29%) admit to feeling lonely.
The research reveals over a third (37%) of people have encountered social media profiles that seemed "too good to be true," while 27 per cent of dating singles say they have been contacted by someone pretending to be someone they’re not.
Annya Burskys, Head of Fraud Operations at Nationwide Building Society, said; “Everyone wants to make a good impression when dating, but there's a clear line between harmless self-presentation and intentional deception. Scammers sadly take advantage of people looking for love all year round, but the stakes are higher at this time of year, with our research showing many feel under pressure to have a date around Valentines Day while many are lonely. Scammers know what they are doing and won’t stop at exploiting unsuspecting victims, especially around Valentine’s Day when emotions run high. If in doubt, speak to your bank or building society for support before making a payment you have suspicions about.”
Nationwide is urging online daters to be extra cautious, offering the following top five tips to avoid falling victim to scammers this Valentine’s Day:
- Be cautious of too-perfect profiles: If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Look out for overly flattering photos or inconsistent details in someone’s story.
- Watch out for "love bombing": Scammers often try to win over their targets quickly with overwhelming affection. Take your time to get to know the person and trust your instincts.
- Do a reverse image search: If you suspect a photo might be stolen, use tools like Google’s Reverse Image Search Tool to check its origin.
- Don’t send money to someone you haven’t met in person: Be especially cautious if someone you’ve just met online asks for money or favours, even if they claim to have an emergency.
- Report suspicious activity: If something doesn’t feel right, report the profile to the platform or dating app.
Nationwide customers can use its Scam Checker service, in a branch or by calling 0800 030 40 57 if they are in any doubt about who they are paying, to check their validity.
Anyone affected by fraud or scams can find help and support on Nationwide’s website Fraud and security | Nationwide.
