Common Lies People Tell in Online Dating

"Sometimes your knight in shining armor is just a retard in tin foil". - Anonymous

'Love can sometimes be magic. But magic can sometimes...just be an illusion'. This is what happens in the lives of about more than 40 million Americans who use online dating services, as they either lie about various factors of their life or are subjected to lies. Let us take a look at few such factors that you should be aware about when dating online.

If your online love interest's dating profile says he is the managing lead of a popular brand, or she is the public relations officer of a leading musician or television actor, rest assured you are being duped. People with such high-profile jobs do not have the time to create accounts for themselves on such websites, and wait for someone to hit them up.

When people come looking for love, online or otherwise, most of them have genuine interests at heart and seek long-term relationships or even lifelong companions. If a profile doesn't sound financially secure, chances are that person will not be desired as much. Fake users are aware of this, and lie about how much they earn to lure other daters.

According to a study conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Cornell University, it was found that more than 80% users on online dating websites lie about their age, weight, and height. The average American adult is highly obsessed with physical appearance and stature.

To think that women suffer from a bigger complex and most of the time are not comfortable with their body or the way they look, would be wrong. Men lie about their height, weight, age and physical appearance too. To give their lie a platform to rest on, users upload pictures that were taken at a time when they were comparatively thinner and more attractive.

As brutal and shallow as the fact may be, the first impressions are generated on the basis of a person's body type, the way they dress up ,and their physical personality. A user, of any sex for that matter, is instantly attracted to a slender and well-built frame, and would prefer them over someone who is on the heavier side.

Some sites give the user the benefit of selecting options like slender, curvy, petite, slim, skinny, full-figured, which sound appealing but do not give a clear idea about the weight or height of the user. So don't be surprised if a round women shows up on your date when she had actually listed her body type as 'curvy' on the website.

Lying about sexual orientation and preferences sure raises eyebrows, as the exact reason people hide their sexual preference is still vague. Social pressure and status may compel people to lie. Sometimes, people may also use dating sites as a tool to explore their sexual tendencies.

For example, a person listing their love for music as 'I love listening to all kinds of music', is completely faking it. Neither does everyone like listening to hip-hop numbers, nor does everyone prefer heavy metal or classical music. There has to be some kind of preference or dislike for that matter.

Many users also lie about the kind of car they drive, the ways in which they like spending their money, and the number of holidays they take every year, amongst other things that lead other users to believe that they are living a high-end life.

Why would you find someone who boasts of having a professional or personal relationship with Ashton Kutcher on a mere dating website, when they could end up being hitched with some of the most desirable and awesome people?

Think about it. Online users believe using the 'I have a connection with a director who will direct amazing movies this year' as bait, attracts more users than their 'plain, boring' profile would.

Online users fear that a past or history of relationships might affect their chances of finding a suitor, and hence, they lie by saying that they don't come with any extra baggage.

Studies have shown that online daters even lie about not having kids when, in reality, they do. Most users look for a fresh start to life, and want to steer clear of people who have 'been there and done that'.

'Honesty is the key to a relationship. If you can fake that, you're in". This seems to be the motto of online dating websites now. And in the words of Greg Hodge, MD, Beautiful People, an online dating community that caters only to the relationship needs of 'good-looking' people, "The online dating industry is a minefield of people representing themselves".

For all the liars and cheaters out there, not everyone is as shallow as you are. Some people visit these sites looking for genuine love. Don't be the reason of their sorrow or disappointment. Spare a heartbreak or two.