4 ways to avoid getting catfished on Tinder
Dating apps like Tinder are full of people pretending to be someone they’re not. Here are four tips to avoid being fooled by catfish.
Unbranded – Lifestyle
As if dating isn’t difficult enough, Gen Z and Millennials are starting to realize that they also have to worry about financial misrepresentation in the future.
According to Fortune, faking your financial future is “like a long-term partner catfishing you about money.” Typically, people already in a relationship lie or exaggerate about their financial stability, income, and assets in order to create a false sense of security in order to trap their partner. This person often makes unrealistic promises about housing, travel, investments, etc. that never come true and often lead to divorce.
Experts say financial hopes and dreams don’t matter, but they do when they are believed without any evidence or basis. Loans are taken out, savings are invested, accounts are consolidated, resulting in losses, both financial and emotional. A new study from the Hily Dating App finds that Gen Z and Millennial daters are willing to go on debt-free dates to ease fears of future financial fraud in dating.
Steve Azzury, a financial consultant and owner of Azzurri Financial, said it was “very appropriate” to consider someone’s financial situation. Love “shouldn’t be about money, but money should be a big part of the relationship.”
What about your credit score?
According to a study by Hily Dating App, knowing someone’s credit score can be helpful. Data shows that one in five Gen Zers and one in four Millennials say dating apps should include credit score filters.
According to the survey, nearly one-third of daters said that a good score really makes a person more attractive.
20% of daters said they would like to know a person’s credit score before agreeing to a first date, and would not date someone with a score below 580. Gen Z is even more discriminatory, with more than a third saying they only want to date someone who scores higher than them.
Looking up someone’s credit score may sound cold, but a 2015 Federal Reserve study supports the idea that credit scores can be important. They conclude that people with higher credit scores are more likely to form a relationship and stay together.
This is also the premise of the February relaunch of the SCORE dating app, which promises to help daters find true love through financial compatibility.
“We believe that trust, stability, and responsibility are the foundations of great relationships, and your credit score says a lot about all three,” SCORE said on the app’s download page.
SCORE has two tiers. One is the base tier, which anyone can browse and connect to without requiring ID or credit verification. Next, the Verified tier requires members to verify their ID and credit score to unlock premium features. SCORE partners with Equifax to verify your credit score using soft checks that do not affect your credit score.
Personal finance author Dave Ramsey says, “The number one cause of divorce in America is money disputes and money issues.” “But here’s the truth: It’s not how much money you have that matters; it’s how you work with it. Money is more than just a number. It’s teamwork, trust, and communication. If you want to build wealth and a strong marriage, start by getting on the same page with money.”
How else can a dater identify an imposter in their financial future?
Another way to uncover potential financial scammers is to ask lots of questions, Azzury says. As a child, Azouly was taught that it was rude to ask people about money.
“Ask general questions to get a sense of what the other person is like without getting too personal,” he said.
“If you ask them what they would do if they won the lottery and they say they would buy a Ferrari and line up a bunch of stuff that would blow their money, that’s one thing,” Azzury said. “But what if they say they’ll donate to charity or pay off the house?”
Other questions to ask might include what financial security means to you or what your biggest financial fears are, he suggested. “I just want to gauge their reaction,” he says.
According to wellness site The Attachment Project, other red flags to watch out for in your partner include:
- Just making promises for the future without taking action to make them come true
- Plans for the future that seem too good to be true
- The promise you seem to get when you express concerns or doubts about your relationship
- ambiguous timeline
- A plan that conveniently addresses your specific concerns and anxieties
- Negative reactions when asked about schedules or specific steps
Medora Lee is USA TODAY’s money, markets and personal finance reporter. Please contact us at mjlee@usatoday.com. Subscribe to our free Daily Money newsletter for personal finance tips and business news every Monday through Friday.
