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This is a subject we wrote about in Freakonomics, based on a really interesting paper called “What Makes You Click?” by Günter J. Hitsch, Ali Hortaçsu, and Dan Ariely. The story we told in the book was an aggregate one, based on thousands of online daters’ data. But we thought it would make sense to go out on the street and ask people, one by one, the same question: if you filled out an online dating profile, what would you lie about? You might want to ask yourself the same question before you click “play.”
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Many of the most alluring young “women” on internet dating sites are simply photos of professional models put up by Nigerian dating scammers. A man can tell them all the lies he wants, because their only purpose is to get his financial help out of a series of “crisis” situations. The practice is so widespread that the FBI calls this the “419″ scam, after the Nigerian law against fraud. The hotter the internet babe, the more likely she’ll be asking for emergency money. Oh yeah, “she” is usually a “he.” Perhaps guys should go back to looking the old fashioned way–in person.
Many of the most alluring young “women” on internet dating sites are simply photos of professional models put up by Nigerian dating scammers. A man can tell them all the lies he wants, because their only purpose is to get his financial help out of a series of “crisis” situations. The practice is so widespread that the FBI calls this the “419″ scam, after the Nigerian law against fraud. The hotter the internet babe, the more likely she’ll be asking for emergency money. Oh yeah, “she” is usually a “he.” Perhaps guys should go back to looking the old fashioned way–in person.
It may be a bad assumption all online daters are looking for a) marriage or b) a long term relationship. I wonder how many out there seek one night stands or cheat in a marriage?
It may be a bad assumption all online daters are looking for a) marriage or b) a long term relationship. I wonder how many out there seek one night stands or cheat in a marriage?
All the women I know who are over 50 lie about their age on dating sites, and none of them have ever lied about anything else at all.
No one I know has ever posted a misleading picture (out of date or someone else).
And – I have a job which brings me into contact with an unusually large number of internat dating stories!!
All the women I know who are over 50 lie about their age on dating sites, and none of them have ever lied about anything else at all.
No one I know has ever posted a misleading picture (out of date or someone else).
And – I have a job which brings me into contact with an unusually large number of internat dating stories!!
I would probably lie about my weight. I’m not over weight but I would probably say I was about 10 pounds lighter than I am.
I would probably lie about my weight. I’m not over weight but I would probably say I was about 10 pounds lighter than I am.