Can You Spot The Tinder Bot? How To Tell If You’re Romancing A Robot

If you’re an avid online dater, you probably think you’ll never get fooled by a bot. I mean, it’s a robot, right? It should be pretty easy to spot the difference between a human person and R2-D2.

But don’t underestimate the power of the bot. Scammers have invested a lot of time and money into making super-realistic bots that have fooled computer engineers and a Harvard-educated expert on Artificial Intelligence. Without doing some due diligence on the person you're chatting with online, you could be romancing a bot without realizing it.

So, what exactly is a bot, and what are the warning signs that you're being duped?

What Is A Tinder Bot?

Spambots have been around long before Tinder was a thing. But as Tinder is the most popular dating app around, scammers have unleashed a legion of bots onto the dating app. According to one study, 10% of new dating profiles are fake.

Okay, but how does a Tinder bot work, and what do they want?

A Tinder bot looks like a real profile. They respond to your messages quickly. And they're so advanced, you might actually think you're having a real conversation with someone. But in fact, this profile is just a front for a scam operation — which is always trying to take your money.

Say you’re using Tinder, and you match with a beautiful girl with only one photo. She immediately sends you a private message, and it quickly becomes suggestive. Then she asks you to click on a link, chat with her in private, or buy something from her. It's a bot!!

It’s not always so simple. Some bots are smart enough to continue a conversation with you for a while, just like Siri. Bots can even text, so she may send you her number and then ask you to join a porn website or an adult chatroom.

Spammers are capitalizing on human emotion by unleashing their creations on dating platforms. They hope to ensnare the lonely and the desperate, who would literally do anything for love — including handing over their credit card details.

It’s a pretty cold-hearted move, considering the majority of the victims are just lonely. Instead of romance, they find themselves the victim of an elaborate scam. Don't let yourself become their next victim. Run their name through a Reverse Phone Lookup before you hand over any personal details.

How To Spot A Tinder Bot

As we said, scammers are making smarter bots every day. But even the most sophisticated programs can’t keep up with a human mind. Find out how to spot a bot in just a few steps.

Step One: Identify Red Flags

Do any of these red flags sound familiar? You could be dealing with a tinder bot.

• They have one photo on their profile
• Their bio is short and impersonal
• They contact you first and respond quickly
• The conversation quickly becomes suggestive
• They ask you to click on an external link

Step Two: Don't Share Your Digits

Some bots will give you a phone number in order to convince you that they’re real.

Do not text them. Once a scammer has your cell phone number, they can either sell it to telemarketers or even clone it and steal your identity. Instead, run the number you’ve been given through a Reverse Phone Lookup.

Unlike a standard phone number directory, a Reverse Phone Lookup can provide detailed information about the owner of the line that’s unavailable anywhere else. This can include:

• A full name
• Location information
• Email addresses
• Social media profiles
• A professional networking profile that could include a history of employment
• And more!

Needless to say, a spambot won’t have any of these things. But a real person will. Before you compromise your phone number, find out exactly who you’re dealing with.

Take your search a step further by pulling a full background report. Even the most sophisticated Tinder bots won't be able to fake a background report. If their report comes up dry, you might be dealing with a bot.

Have you ever been tricked by a Tinder bot before? Share your story in the comments!