Identity and verification
Sent a fake 'verified' screenshot or ID
Unprompted, they send a screenshot of a blue tick, an 'identity verified' badge, a passport, or a driver's license. It's meant to close the question of who they are before you ask it. Real verification lives inside the app, not in your chat.
What it looks like
- A screenshot of a verified badge that the app doesn't actually display like that.
- A photo of an ID with a name that doesn't quite match the profile, or that looks edited.
- A 'certificate' from a dating safety organization you can't find anywhere.
- The proof arrives right before a request for money or a link.
Why would someone send you proof that they're verified?
Documents feel official even when nobody has checked them. A passport photo takes seconds to fake, and generated IDs are now good enough to fool a glance. Sending proof you didn't ask for is a way to buy trust cheaply and to make you feel it would be insulting to ask for more.
What to do
- Ignore screenshots. Check the badge on their actual profile in the app.
- Ask for a live video call instead. It's the one thing a stolen document can't do.
- Never click a 'verify me too' link they send. That's a different trick.
- If the ID turns out fake and money changed hands, here's what to do.
More in the tips: Dating and new online friends.
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