5 ways to spot a fake person or profile on matrimonial websites

It goes without saying that online matrimonial services or matrimonial websites have almost replaced traditional matchmakers or marriage brokers. Given the many advantages that matrimonial services have—a large pool of candidates to choose from, profiles from various geographical locations and clarity about what a candidate wants, etc.—it’s not surprising to find people, even parents, using these platforms to find a suitable bride or groom. However, there have been many instances of people being duped by candidates found on matrimonial websites. If you are relying on such sites to find a life partner, here are a few tips to spot fake accounts or imposters.

A picture can speak a thousand words, and in this case, the profile picture of the person can give a lot of telltale signs. The most obvious sign is when a person does not have a profile picture. It’s better to stay away from such an account. The next is to check if the person’s age matches the picture shown if not, you can always ask why. Also, heavily edited pictures are a big no-no. Always analyse, ask questions and never shy away from putting forward your doubts and demanding a reply.

While creating a profile on a matrimonial site, a person is required to provide certain basic information about him. So, look for those details and if you find inconsistency in those, you should step ahead with more caution.

According to a research on matrimonial sites, people who create fake accounts, tend to make frequent edits. If you notice that the person is changing his data like caste, hobbies, occupation very frequently, the chances are that he might be trying to cover-up misleading information he had put up earlier. And a genuine person hardly does that. You might make one or two mistakes but how can a person get his occupation, caste, religion etc. wrong. So, keep an eye for such details and frequent editing.

A lot of incidents have been reported in the past where people have been duped by someone they met online or through a matrimonial site. If a person whom you met through matrimonial site asks for money, you better run for your life. Such scams are pretty common and the sooner you stop being in touch with that person, the better it will be for you.

Sometimes, people with ulterior motives are on matrimonial websites, they would be in a hurry to leave the platform once his intentions are fulfilled. So, it’s natural for such a person to put pressure on the other one to do things or meet him as per his convenience. If a person you met on a matrimonial site is too dominating and gives you no space and time, and asks you to meet him or her without divulging much personal information, it’s better to keep your distance.

(All images used here are representational)