According to an MSNBC report, one-third of the people who use online dating websites are married. So, who’s to say that the mister or missus who has been chatting you up lately isn’t donning a wedding band?
Online dating has its perks, such as privacy and discreetness, but those benefits also attract a slew of creeps, who hide behind their online personas to keep their true marital status under wraps. Watch out for the following red flags if you want to be sure that you aren’t dealing with the classic online cheater.
No Picture
Some people don’t post pictures on their online dating profiles because they want to protect their privacy, but failing to post a pic could also be a sign that the online dater is married. Married people obviously don’t want to post pictures of themselves on their online dating profiles because they could get found out by their significant other or somebody else they know.
Does Not Reveal Details
If you feel like you’ve revealed a ton about yourself but still know very little about the person you’ve been interacting with, beware; you may be dealing with a cheater. Cheaters are reluctant to talk about themselves because any slip up could cause their castle of lies to come crashing down.
You Only Have Their Cell Phone Number
Married folk are reluctant to give out their home phone number for glaringly obvious reasons. If you’ve been chatting on the phone with someone you met on an online dating website for quite some time, yet still don’t know anything more than their cell phone number, you’re probably dealing with a cheater.
You Always Leave a Message
If you find that your mate never answers his/her cell phone and always insists on calling you back, sometimes several hours after the time you called, he/she might be married. Married people usually can’t take calls because they are with their partner or friends who could get them in trouble. They typically wait until they are alone and in a private place in order to return calls.
Contacts You at Irregular or Set Times
For married people, balancing online dating with their commitments can be a challenge. If you find that you receive messages and phone calls at irregular intervals, you may be dealing with a cheater. On the other hand, if you receive messages and phone calls at a set time and on a regular basis, you may also be dealing with a cheater. Some cheaters have to follow a strict schedule because they don’t have any other time besides their lunch break or their commute to work to fit in a phone call.
You Met Them on a Free Dating Website
Married people frequent free dating websites because they can be accessed at no charge and therefore won’t show up on bank or credit card statements. If you want to meet high quality singles that are, well, single, go for a paid online dating website like eHarmony or Match.com. Some sites even carry out background checks to ensure that their members’ profiles are legit.