9 signs of a fake profile
One sign doesn't prove anything, but several together are a reason to be careful:
- The photos look like a model's or influencer's.
- There's only one photo, or the photos seem to come from different lives.
- They never want to video call and always have an excuse.
- The conversation gets very intimate or romantic very fast.
- A dramatic story about money trouble or an emergency appears.
- They want to move to WhatsApp, Telegram or another app right away.
- Replies feel generic, as if they could be sent to anyone.
- The story about their job, town or age keeps changing.
- You get a link where you need to log in or pay.
What you can check yourself
Suggest a video call: real people usually don't mind. You can also run a profile photo through a reverse image search. And feel free to ask a question only someone with that story could answer.
Verification helps
On LiefdesKlik members can verify their profile with a selfie in a requested pose. A moderator compares it with their profile photos. A check mark next to the name means that check was done. If someone adds new photos later, the check mark disappears until they verify again.
Money is always a hard line
However convincing the story: never send money, gift cards or crypto to someone you only know online. This is the most common form of dating fraud, and the money is almost never recovered.
What to do when something is off
Stop the conversation, block the person and report the profile so moderators can review it. If you have been scammed, report it to the police and contact your bank. Don't be ashamed: these scammers are professionals.