Here at JustSingles we take safety very seriously. The easiest way to stay safe is to spot that someone isn’t genuine early on. We’ve grouped together our security experts and made a list of some of the signs that someone is suspicious. Take note and watch out for these dating warning signs…

Appearance

If someone’s photo seems too good to be true, it probably is. Look out for army uniforms, foreign flags, watermarks on photos or any kind of staged pose or over glossy image. Our top tip is using Google Image search to double check a photo hasn’t been stolen from the internet. To do this:

1. Go to Google Images
2. Drag the photo into the search bar
3. See if the photo appears anywhere else online

If it does appear somewhere else and has been copied report this immediately. We will be able to investigate the profile further.

Behaviour

Think about how you, a normal person, would behave onsite and when meeting someone online for the first time. Be suspicious about anything that you believe to be out of the ordinary. Here are a list of suspicious behaviours to keep an eye out for:

1. Continuous winking without reply
2. Online or sending messages at strange times of day or night
3. Having lots of different profiles under different names
4. Their photo disappearing and reappearing as a different person
5. Having a word instead of a name (like EmailMe or LuvMe)

We’re not saying everyone who shows one of these behaviours is up to no good, but it should make you wary if you come across any of these actions.

Messages

There are lots of things to watch out for in messages. A person’s messages are actually the easiest place to spot if someone is not genuine. Language can tell a lot about a person. We all have different ways of using spelling and grammar – but follow your instincts. Here are some message red flags to be aware of:

1. Asking for your email address straight away
2. Sending you their email address straight away
3. Overly long first messages
4. Really bad spelling
5. Weird use of spacing between words
6. Asking for money
7. Telling sad, personal stories early on
8. Asking for personal details
9. Declaring their love for you straight away
10. Using strange outdated words

Any of these messaging behaviours should cause suspicion. Our moderation teams can monitor all onsite communication, but once you send personal emails or text messages, they no longer have any insight. This is why you should act with caution before giving someone your email address or telephone number.

We’ve got a whole team committed to removing any fraudulent or malicious profiles before they have the chance to show any of these warning signs. But some do slip through the net, so acting on your instincts and watching out for the dating warning signs is always worthwhile. If you no longer wish to interact with someone – hit the Ignore button, if you wish for us to investigate someone further – Report them to us. Remember, the majority of singles you’ll meet are friendly and genuine, just like you!