Your online dating profile is like your resume when applying for a job. It’s your first impression for the person reading it. A profile needs to look good and entice people into getting in touch.
It’s also one of the most common places that people will lie. They know they’ll eventually get caught out, but they still can’t help embellish the truth. It’s annoying when it happens and you start wondering why. Well, here are the top reasons why people lie on their dating profiles.
They Want to Embellish to Avoid Sounding Boring
There’s the risk of sounding boring on your profile. While it’s like your resume in the sense it’s your first impression, your profile shouldn’t read like your resume. It shouldn’t be dry and void of emotion. To help avoid sounding boring, people embellish the truth. They want to make it sound like they’ve done more and been to more places than they really have.
The idea is that they can pull you in. They hope that you’ve overlooked the embellishments or that you forget about the tiny white lies when you meet them in person—if you both even get that far!
They’re Embarrassed About Something
That perfect guy may not have a job right now. He’s embarrassed about that, as it makes him look like he can’t support a family. So, he lies about it to cover up the problem.
Your perfect woman is ashamed of the current size she is. Rather than telling you she’s 250lbs, she’ll reduce it by at least 10%. This is a lie, but it’s because she wants you to see the woman that she wants to be.
People lie out of embarrassment. They don’t want to come across as lesser than their peers or their competition in the dating pool.
They Want You to Message Them
Weight and age are two of the most common parts of a dating profile that people lie about. Even on the best dating websites, people will tell a few white lies. Why? To encourage you to message them. There is more of a chance that you’ll get in touch or reply to their messages. They don’t feel like they’ve completely wasted their money on the dating site membership.
Some will put a more flattering picture of themselves. They know this is something you’ll look at, so it needs to be good if they want to stand out from the rest of the competition on the site.
Women are more likely to lie about their age. Older women in particular find it harder to get a date on a site. This is because men their own age want younger women and young men want women their own age!
They Hide They’re Having Affairs
Marital status is something that many men lie about, according to various studies on online dating. The most common reason is because they know the taboo of having an affair. They don’t want people to judge them for their choices.
They also don’t want you finding out about their other life. Some people will hide their dating profile from their spouse, making everyone believe they’re faithful. The last thing they want is their bit on the side phoning their wife to share the details.
People tell lies on their online dating profile. In some cases, they’re white lies as they feel embarrassed or inadequate. In other cases, they just want you to message them, so will lie about the hurdle that stops you from doing that. Unfortunately, there are also darker reasons people lie on their dating profiles.