How to Verify Someone You Met Online
You've been talking for a few weeks. They're charming, consistent, maybe a little too good-looking. And somewhere in the back of your mind is the question every online dater eventually asks: is this person actually who they say they are?
You're right to ask. Romance scams cost victims over a billion dollars a year, and catfishing — fake photos, fake names, fake lives — is the standard opening move. Whether or not you've already spotted the signs you're being catfished, here's how to check, in order of effort.
1. Reverse image search their photos
Save their profile photo and run it through Google Images, Google Lens, or TinEye. If the photo appears under a different name, on a stock-photo site, or attached to someone's public Instagram, you have your answer. We wrote a full walkthrough: how to reverse image search a dating profile.
2. Insist on a live video call
Not a promise of one — an actual call, this week. Scammers have endless reasons why the camera never works: bad connection, broken phone, "shy". One or two excuses can be genuine. A pattern of them is the single most reliable red flag there is. AI face-swap tools are improving, so during the call ask them to turn their head fully side to side and pass a hand across their face — current deepfakes handle both badly. Keep early calls fully clothed, too: a recorded call is how sextortion starts, and it is the pattern most worth knowing about in online dating in Mexico.
3. Check the age of their footprint
A real person's online presence is usually years old: tagged photos, old posts, friends who interact like real friends. A profile created three months ago with model-quality photos and 40 friends deserves suspicion.
4. Know the money red flags
- Any request for money, crypto, or gift cards — ever, regardless of the story. This is the endgame of every romance scam.
- Sudden crises: medical emergency, customs fees, a plane ticket to finally meet you. A common version run through Dominican profiles is money for a visa so they can visit; our guide to safe online dating in the Dominican Republic explains it.
- "Investment opportunities" they generously want to share — this is the "pig-butchering" scam.
- Pressure to move off the dating app to WhatsApp or Telegram in the first days — scammers want you where the platform can't see them.
More on this: how to avoid romance scams and the signs of catfishing.
5. Or skip the detective work entirely
Every check above exists because normal dating apps let anyone sign up as anyone. That's the actual root of the problem — and it's fixable.
HerHello works the other way around: nobody can message her until they have matched, and she decides whether he may open the conversation or only she can — so an approach she hasn't allowed never arrives in the first place. Members may also verify with a live selfie, which a person compares to their profile photos before the account is marked verified.
It's built for exactly the situation where verification matters most: meeting someone across borders, where you can't just meet for coffee on Tuesday to check they exist. If you are choosing between apps, our comparison of international dating apps sets HerHello beside InternationalCupid, FilipinoCupid and Bumble, including where it is smaller.
Meet people on your terms
Members can confirm they're real with a selfie a person checks, you can video call before you meet, and she messages first — if she wants to. Free to join.
Join HerHello free Get it on Google Play →Common questions
How can I check if someone I met online is real?
Reverse image search their photos, insist on a live video call, check that their social footprint is older than a few months, and never send money.
How does HerHello stop unwanted contact?
On HerHello each woman decides whether a man may open the conversation or only she can, and the database enforces her choice. Members may also verify with a live selfie, which a person compares to their profile photos before the account is marked verified.
Is everyone on HerHello verified?
No. The selfie check is optional — look for the verified badge rather than assuming it, and video call before you meet.
Who sees my selfie?
Only the HerHello reviewer who checks it. It is never shown on your profile. See our privacy policy.
Is HerHello free?
Yes — HerHello is free to join.