If you’ve ever watched Catfish, skepticism about online dating is justified. You’re on Tinder to meet someone great (or just have some fun), but job one is staying safe. The good news: Tinder’s safety tools have gotten a lot stronger, and most profiles are legit. Still, scams and fake accounts exist—so here’s how to spot them fast and keep it moving.
Dude Hack Exclusive Offers
How Common Are Fake Tinder Profiles?
Fake profiles are out there – but out of 75 million Tinder users, how many of them are real, and how many are fake? While you will probably see some fake profiles when you’re swiping, it’s definitely a minority. Tinder has added stronger verification (Face Check) and expanded safety prompts, which helps curb bots and impersonation—though nothing is 100%. Incredibly, bot traffic now makes up more than half of all internet traffic, but they haven’t taken over Tinder yet!
Can You Have A Fake Tinder Profile?
First of all, why would you want this? Maybe you want to dip your toes into Tinder without getting wet, or you’re planning a hilarious prank… well, you can’t. Tinder’s terms and conditions specifically prevent any kind of profile that impersonates someone else or misrepresents who you are. Impersonation accounts are reportable, and Tinder provides a dedicated path to flag them. My advice? Don’t start a fake Tinder profile—you’ll just find yourself banned, and getting unbanned is a pain.
The 5 Types Of Fake Profiles
Generally, you could categorize any profiles that aren’t the person they claim to be into 5 different categories.
1. Bot
Out of all the fake Tinder profiles out there, bots are the most common. A Tinder bot is a computer program used to message you on Tinder trying to trick you into thinking they are a real person. Most of the time they will automatically send a few messages followed by a dangerous link. And thanks to the rise of AI, they now use smarter predicted responses to simulate real conversation. Don’t click on any suspicious links—or any links whatsoever if it’s a site you don’t already trust.
2. Human-controlled Fake Profile With An Agenda
Harder to catch because there’s a human behind the keyboard. They’ll push an agenda, service, product, or scam—often steering you off-app quickly.
3. Lonely Catfish
Someone lonely and self-conscious who wants to chat while pretending to be someone else. Less dangerous short-term, but emotionally messy.
4. Dangerous Catfish
The darkest version: someone pretending to be another person to plan a meet-up with who-knows-what intentions. Trust your instincts and use in-app safety features.5. Impersonation Account
A fake profile of a real person (a celebrity or someone the faker knows). Report these immediately via Tinder’s impersonation form.
What A Fake Tinder Profile Wants With You
Once you know exactly what these fake Tinder profiles would be looking for, it will definitely make it easier to spot them and take necessary action to avoid them at all costs. Let’s look at the top reasons and agendas these fake profiles are targeting people in the first place.
- Financial gain
- To push a service, product or business
- Trying to get you to download dangerous malware
- Get your personal details for identity theft
- To mess with you (yep, there are people out there like this)
- To make themselves feel better (lonely Catfish)
- It could be a form of bullying for the person being impersonated (with impersonation accounts)
How To Tell If a Tinder Profile Is Fake
Once you know what fake Tinder profiles want, it’s easier to spot them and take action to avoid them. Most have one or more of these motives:
- Financial gain
- To push a service, product, or business
- To get you to download dangerous malware
- To steal your personal information for identity theft
- To manipulate or bully others
To feel less lonely (catfish profiles)
The fastest-growing scam in 2025 is “pig-butchering,” where scammers build fake romances, then pivot to “investment opportunities” like crypto trading and move you to apps like WhatsApp or Telegram. Don’t bite.
Rules to Avoid Being Duped by a Fake Tinder Profile
- Ask for social media. Look for real, long-standing accounts.
- Snapchat or Instagram for real-time photos. It shows if the photo is live.
- Video chat. A short FaceTime or WhatsApp call can confirm instantly.
- Tinder verification. Face Check and photo verification badges mean Tinder confirmed their identity, but always use common sense.
How to Verify a Tinder Profile
Tinder’s verification system now includes photo verification and Face Check, a liveness test using a short video selfie. These features make fake accounts harder to create, but no system is foolproof. Treat verification badges as a sign of effort, not a safety guarantee, and always double-check before meeting.
How to Report a Fake Tinder Profile
If you’ve matched with a fake profile:
- Open the chat.
- Tap the three dots in the top right corner.
- Tap Report and follow the prompts.
Before swiping: - Open their profile.
- Tap the … icon.
Select Report and choose the reason.
If someone is impersonating you, use Tinder’s impersonation form and include any details you have.
Known Tinder Scams
The old “Tinder Safe Dating” verification scams are mostly gone. Today, the dominant scam is “pig-butchering,” where scammers build trust, move you off the app, and lure you into fake crypto investments. Losses can be huge, so at the first sign of “investment opportunities,” walk away and report the account.
Good News About Tinder Bots and Fake Profiles
Tinder continues to invest heavily in safety and spam reduction. Features like Are You Sure?, Does This Bother You?, Face Check, and Share My Date help users stay in control. Combine these tools with your own instincts, and you can swipe safely and confidently.
FAQ
How do I know if someone actually passed Face Check?
Look for the in-app badge that shows Face Check or photo verification. It’s a strong trust signal, but still ask for a short video call before meeting in person.
What is “pig-butchering,” and how does it show up on Tinder?
It’s a scam where someone builds a fake relationship and later pushes crypto or investment opportunities off-app. If money comes up, report and move on.
Is it safer to move to another app to chat?
Stay on Tinder until you’ve verified the person. Scammers often want to switch apps so they can’t be reported easily.
What new Tinder safety tools should I use?
Try Face Check, Share My Date, and the Safety Center. These help confirm profiles, share date details with trusted friends, and report issues fast.
Can verified profiles still be scammers?
Yes. Verification helps, but some scammers still manipulate others emotionally or financially. Keep conversations light until you’ve verified who they are.
