Spot the signs
How to Spot a Fake Profile and Chat With Confidence
Nine red flags, a quick check on any photo and what to do if a chat starts to feel wrong.
A fake profile tends to give itself away in the chat more than in the photos. Watch for someone who pushes you off the site, falls for you fast, always has a reason not to meet or video call, and eventually asks for money. Search the photo, ask for a live video call, never send money and report them.
Read the pattern
Read the pattern, not just the picture
Nobody spots every fake from a profile alone. City of London Police say investigators are seeing more AI-generated images and messages used to make fake identities look real, and the FBI reports scammers using scripts produced by AI chat generators. Accounts that chat from a script are what many people call bots, and a smooth reply proves little.
In a July 2022 survey of US adults, the Pew Research Center found that 52% of people who had used a dating site or app said they had come across someone they thought was trying to scam them. City of London Police figures show 10,784 romance fraud reports in the UK in 2025, up 29% on 2024.
None of that makes every match a scammer. The advice and figures below come from the FTC and the FBI, Report Fraud (the UK police fraud reporting service) and ODDA, the dating industry’s own trade body. For the wider picture, see are hookup sites safe and the guides hub.
The red flags
Nine red flags, from the first message to the first request
One flag means look closer. Two or three mean stop replying. Each comes from a named source.
They want to leave the site fast
The FTC says romance scammers soon want to email, call or message you off the platform. Naughty Singles warns you when a chat is steered towards an app such as WhatsApp.
Feelings arrive at full speed
Falling in love by Tuesday makes a good story and a poor sign. Report Fraud lists a relationship that forms very quickly, with strong emotions early on, as a warning.
There is always a reason they cannot meet
The FTC lists living abroad, an oil rig and military service, and Report Fraud adds excuses for avoiding live video calls. A quick call is the friendliest way to find out.
A crisis that ends in a request for money
Medical bills, a plane ticket, a visa, fees to get out of trouble: the FTC lists them all. ODDA calls any urgent or emotional request for money a major red flag.
Investment tips from a new match
The FTC says scammers may offer to help you start investing in cryptocurrency. A match who steers the chat towards crypto is not there for the chat.
Odd ways to pay
The FTC lists wire transfers, gift cards, money transfer apps and crypto, because the money is hard to get back. A request shaped like that ends the conversation.
“Keep this between us”
ODDA calls anyone who asks you to keep them secret a big warning sign. Wanting privacy yourself is different, as the discreet dating guide explains.
Pictures first, then pressure
The FBI says its Internet Crime Complaint Center received more than 75,000 sextortion submissions in 2025. Read what is sexting before a chat gets that far.
A favour that involves moving money
ODDA warns never to take and forward money for someone you have met online, because it might involve criminality.
Three quick checks
Check the person behind the picture
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Search the photo
Run the profile picture through a reverse image search. Google says you can upload it, paste its address or use Search with Google Lens, and results can include sites with the same or a similar picture. The FTC says to look for a photo tied to another name or to details that do not match.
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Search the story
The FTC suggests searching online for the person’s claimed job plus the word scammer. Read what comes back before you read their next message.
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Ask for a live video call
Report Fraud lists excuses for avoiding live video calls among the signs of romance fraud, so a short call beats another photo. A reason, then another reason, is worth noting.
A clean search does not clear anyone: a new AI-generated picture may match nothing online, so the call matters more.
Our part
What Naughty Singles does about fakes, and what no site can
Good tools, plus your own good sense.
- Optional checks. The free ID check earns a badge. The live video check with a moderator asks for no documents.
- Behaviour monitoring. AI watches for suspicious patterns, the sort scammers and bots tend to leave.
- Block, report, rate. Blocking is instant, reporting is easy, and there is one-click feedback.
- Screening and takedown. Uploads are screened by AI and human reviewers, and unauthorised content is taken down swiftly.
- Human support. People staff the support team 24/7.
None of that is a promise. There are no criminal background checks, and the terms say a profile or message may not be genuine. The terms add that employees may manage staff profiles to test and research the service, so a profile in a search is not always a member. A profile without a badge simply calls for more questions.
The safety page lists every protection, the features page shows what else the site does, and is Naughty Singles legit covers who runs it.
If it already feels wrong
Think you have met a scammer? Three moves, in order
Stop and tell someone
The FTC says to stop communicating with the person and talk to someone you trust. Blocking on Naughty Singles is instant, so use it.
Protect your money
If you have paid by gift card, transfer, card or crypto, the FTC says to contact the company or your bank right away and ask for a refund.
Report them
Tell the site first so it can act on the account, then the authorities below. Report Fraud says to report anyone who asks you for money to the dating service.
You are not to blame. Report Fraud says exactly that to victims of romance fraud, and ODDA says not to feel shame or hide the truth.
Who to tell
Where to report a fake profile or a romance scam
| Where | Who to tell | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| On the site | Naughty Singles: block, report and contact support | Gets the account looked at |
| Your bank | Your bank or card company, straight away | Asking for a refund |
| United States | The FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center | Reporting the scam to the authorities |
| United Kingdom | Report Fraud, run by City of London Police, which replaced Action Fraud in December 2025 | Reporting fraud and cyber crime |
This is general information, not advice for your situation. If you have lost money or been threatened, your bank, the police and the bodies above can say what happens next.
Fake profile questions, answered
How can you tell if a dating profile is fake?
Look at what they do, not only how they look: pushing the chat to another app, strong feelings very early, excuses for not meeting or video calling, and any request for money. A reverse image search and a live video call tell you more than another hour of chat.
What is a romance scam?
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center describes confidence and romance fraud as a person believing they are in a relationship and being tricked into sending money, personal and financial information, or items of value. The scammer often uses a fake profile.
Can you tell if a profile photo is fake?
Not by eye. A reverse image search can show whether a picture belongs to someone with a different name, but a new AI-generated image may match nothing, and City of London Police say such images are on the rise. Follow up with a live video call.
Does Naughty Singles have fake profiles?
Any dating site can attract fake profiles, and the terms say a profile or message may not be genuine. Staff profiles are possible too: the terms let the company's employees run some to test and research the service. You do get optional ID and video checks with a badge, behaviour monitoring, instant blocking, easy reporting and human support.
How do I report a fake profile?
Block the profile and report it from inside the site, then contact support, which people staff around the clock. If money is involved, tell your bank at once and report the scam to the FTC in the US or Report Fraud in the UK.
Keep your eyes open and your wallet shut
Make a profile, take your time and use the block button whenever a chat feels wrong.
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