The Most Common Lies People Use on Dating Apps Revealed by Experts

Love is something most people look for during their lifetime. And nowadays, singles can do this from the comfort of their own home—thanks to dating apps.

But getting to know someone from behind a screen comes with a risk as people may be more inclined to tell a few lies to bag a date. In fact, nearly half of Americans who use dating apps have admitted to lying on their profiles, according to new research.

Newsweek reached out to dating experts to uncover the most common lies and how to spot a liar online.

Andrew Hendel, a consultant to a safety-focused dating app called Marshmallo, told Newsweek that daters tend to lie about their height, location, and age. Another problem is that some people set up "fake online dating profiles for sport. They may enjoy toying with somebody over text," he said.

OnePoll surveyed 2,004 single Americans late last year who use dating apps such as Tinder and Match.com. The results found men are more likely to lie on their dating profiles, as 51 percent of men confessed, but women weren't far behind (44 percent).

Surprisingly, the researchers discovered the most common lie told on their dating profiles was about current hairstyles (61 percent) and 55 percent lied about their careers.

But these aren't the only lies as some people may not even be who they say they are.

Dating Apps Are Hotspots for Scammers

Dating apps are a hotspot for scammers who use people's feelings against them for financial gain, says Hendel.

However, according to dating coach Emyli Lovz, a harmless lie is fine as long as it is tactical.

The founder of California-based dating agency emlovz told Newsweek: "Weight turns into a catfish issue if you look much different from your photos, so I'd never recommend putting photos of yourself on your profiles that don't look like how you will look when you show up to the date.

"I don't recommend lying but I do teach my students how to beat the dating app algorithms by adjusting things like height in the drop-down menu.

"Reason being, shorter men are severely limited by who sees them on dating apps. This means that they don't even have a shot at forming a connection with a woman based on their personalities.

"If a woman selects from the drop-down menu that she only wants to see men who are 6 feet tall and above, she cuts out a lot of men, some of whom may be a better personality fit and love connection.

"For this reason, I work with my students to strategically determine what height to select in the drop-down menu and then explicitly state if they are not really that height in their profile.

"It is not ok to lie in dating ever but to bypass an automated algorithm so you can get in front of people that otherwise would have zero opportunity of connecting with you, I think there are tricks you can use to be seen and considered at the very least."

How to Tell if Someone Is Lying When Online Dating

It may be difficult to determine if someone is being untruthful without speaking to them face-to-face. Hendel has shared four warning signs that may help you find out if someone is using a fake identity, which is also known as catfishing.

• Multiple mis-spellings or grammatical errors
• Reluctant to video call
• Canceling dates repeatedly
• Unwillingness to meet in person

But it isn't just catfishers online daters need to look out for but scammers too.

Hendel told Newsweek: "If somebody suspects a person is not being truthful, they should not exchange phone numbers, meet them or send money.

"Liars can be detected online through a variety of methods. If there are lots of misspelled words in a person's text message, that can be an indication that there is something suspicious going on.

"Scammers often try to create a false sense of urgency. Catfishers are also often reluctant to do a video call. If a person asks for money before meeting in person to cover gas or for some other reason, that is normally an indicator that they are trying to scam you. People should go with their gut instinct. If you suspect something is wrong, something probably is wrong."

Have you noticed any red flags that made you end a relationship? Let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.