Lies People Tell in Online Dating

An attractive person has no trouble at all finding a date. A great personality and a smile can go a long way in the real world, but cloaked behind a computer screen, it is hard to tell if a person is truly what they say they are. The moment of the truth can result in disappointment and a huge waste of time.

One of the biggest problems with online dating is misrepresentation. Outdated photos, false descriptions and exaggerated incomes have all become a melting pot of profile deception. Needless to say, there are a number of ways a person can misrepresent the facts. Here are 6 of the most common things people lie about in online dating, according to thepeeq.com and OkCupid.

1. Appearance (Most common with women)

Although good looks are highly preferred among online daters, it is not necessarily a prerequisite. Almost every online poll shows women as being guilty of lying about their weight and physical build. A photo that is grainy, out of focus or looks like it came straight out of a magazine is usually the best indicator of deception.

2. Height (Most common with men)

Adding inches to height is the best way to "botch" a first meet. Showing up 5 inches shorter than what was in the description is embarrassing for the other person. It creates an awkward situation. Any conversation from that point is generally uncomfortable, if it even continues. This lie is the most challenging for women.

3. Age

There are number of different reasons why people lie about their age. Drawing attention from someone looking for a specific age variance is usually the motive. Shaving off a few years can garner a much higher response from a younger age group.

Age is a very important criterion for online daters. Career, health and generational values play a major role in the predetermined age groups people search in. A relatively young looking person can easily get away with this; however, it can be a challenge to convince someone of being thirty five with a head full of gray hair.

4. Interests

Matching hobbies and interests is a good way to show commonality. If the person of interest happens to be a vegetarian, then it is not wise to claim the same preference. A relationship developed under those pretenses may have an adverse affect once the carnivore is discovered. On the other hand, it can be clever way to confess the reason for lying about such a trivial issue.

5. Personality

This can be the most disappointing of all. It is one thing to portray a certain personality through a keyboard, but quite another if a personality disorder ends up as the final verdict.

6. Income

The simple need to "hike" income earnings up 50% to impress is something every online dater is guilty of. It rarely has any impact on whether or not someone decides to date, however, this can also be interpreted as "bragging" and may negatively impact personality traits.

For the most part, online daters are open and honest with each other once communication begins to flow. After regular dialogue is established and a first date is set, it is sometimes easy to weasel out of a lie. In some cases, it may even come across as adorable. That just depends on the lie itself.