15 Online Dating Horror Stories That Show Why People Are Over It

Online dating was supposed to make finding love easier, but for many, it’s been more of a nightmare than a fairy tale. From bizarre encounters to outright terrifying experiences, countless people have stories that make them want to delete their dating apps for good. Whether it’s unexpected confessions, deceitful profiles, or dates that took a dark turn, these 15 horror stories prove that sometimes, swiping right is the wrong move.

• At the time, I was working 3 jobs, so I was busy. This dude messaged me first on a dating app. I messaged back, then he messaged back, but I didn’t see it or respond to it for like 3–4 days. Once I did, he started calling me ’the George Clooney of responding to people.’ I still don’t know what that means. Then, he started in on the typical entitled male response because I had the audacity to wait three or four whole days to respond to his message of ’good morning.’ So, I reported and blocked him.

• Met a guy for a walk-and-talk through my favorite park. We had a nice vibe online and I had hopes we’d at least have a good time even if we weren’t attracted. He was completely bizarre. Spent a lot of time trying to get me to believe that he was some sort of psychic or wizard with magic powers, asked for a ride to the bus station from the park (I had no idea he hadn’t driven himself there) and suddenly had to pee during the 5-minute drive. Wet his pants just before getting out of the car. © blacktara / Reddit

• I dated a guy from OKC that was pretty nice and funny. However, he didn’t tell me he had a son until date... number 4 I think? Which was fine, I like kids. And then randomly after 4 months, he dumped me. 2 days later he was FBO with another girl. I later found out that he’d been dating the second girl all along, but she went to study abroad. I was there to fill in the space. © Unknown author / Reddit

• Met a guy on an app. After talking to him on the phone for a few weeks, I decided to meet up at his place for our first date. Turns out the 2nd bedroom in his apartment is a shrine to his late grandparents. I figure since they raised him, it must be his way of remembering them, so I let it go. We dated a few months, and it just so happens he demands we take showers every night so as not to “contaminate” the bed sheets. We broke up shortly after he demanded my mother sign a letter saying she will respect his wishes not to meet her and have it notarized. The scariest thing about this is that he’s a police officer. Not exactly who I want out there protecting the sheets streets. © CharlieBear26 / Reddit

• A friend of mine set up an account for a presentation on the ’successes of modern technology on the dating scene’. His final report included a great story. He met up with a girl who was using her daughter’s photos for herself, saying she was 25 online but was really 55, and said she had no ethical problems lying online as long as she told the truth while in person. To top it off, she was on her third marriage and had multiple Facebook accounts. © hp94 / Reddit

• Signed up for POF recently, got a message saying “Hey, wanna hang out?”. It was my best friend’s sister’s husband who apparently didn’t recognize me. His wife is 3 months pregnant at the moment. © g***/ Reddit

• Friend of a friend met a girl online, they chatted for a while, and she made plans to visit him. When she got there, she was apparently a huge drag: boring and didn’t want to do anything. They had nothing to talk about, and he just counted the days until she left while sleeping on his couch.
  
  The day he thought she was supposed to leave, she confessed that she didn’t have a return ticket; she thought she was just going to move in with him. He called her mother to get her home, and her mom said that she didn’t want her daughter back—then offered him $50 to keep her. He bought her a bus ticket and sent her back anyway. © CopRock / Reddit

• While meeting a guy for the first time, he proceeded to nervously rub his bare hands all over his bare feet and then rake his fingers through his beard. Hands to feet to beard to feet to beard. I just sat there grossed out thinking “Foot Beard. Foot Beard. His beard smells like feet.” © LaLaVonne / Reddit

• My sister signed up for one site, and got matched with my other sister’s ex-boyfriend. That was kinda awkward. © 108241 / Reddit

• I should’ve trusted my gut. But Olivia insisted: “One more try!”
  Ryan seemed normal — handsome, funny, dog dad. Our texts were great, so I agreed to coffee.
  Then his phone buzzed. “My mom just texted. ‘Hope she’s better than the last one!’”
  Wait. What?
  “Yeah, she helps me pick dates.” Then: “Where do you see yourself in five years? Kids? Credit score?”
  Another buzz. “Mom found your Instagram. Thinks you might be a party girl.”
  I grabbed my bag. “Tell your mom I said thanks, but I’m out.”
  Maybe I’d try dating again. Just... not like this.

• There was a guy I never even actually met because I got a super creepy vibe from him, but he would send out mass texts regularly asking if I wanted to do anything that night. I could tell it was a mass text because it showed the numbers of everybody else, he was texting on my iPhone. Conversation, after many ignored texts, as follows:
  
  Him: Hey, want to do anything tonight?
  Me: Can you please remove me from this mass text list? I’ve never even met you.
  Him: This isn’t a mass text LOL.
  Me: (Screenshot where it lists everybody else he’s texting)
  Him: Oh lol. You caught me.
  Random Stranger: Yeah, we can all read this.
  Me: Yeah bye. © blurp_taco / Reddit

• I was talking to this beautiful girl, we just connected then we made a plan to meet at a local pub. Show up and turns out it was my younger sister. We both apparently made fake profiles.
  © Iranisforlovers / Reddit

• Met up with a girl for the first time after talking for a few weeks. She was attractive, fun. Lots of things in common. During the date she kept checking her phone and acting annoyed by someone. Finally, she apologizes for it and tells me about some creep stalker dude who wouldn’t leave her alone. And I guess to prove it she calls him and kind of loudly says “stop contacting me or I will call the police!” FWD to end of date, she says she had a good time and wants to do it again sometime, kind of flirty. Then outside before she gets in her car she says, “Call me” and winks! So, I call a couple days later. No answer. Text the next day, no answer. Call in 2 days and finally she answered the phone and says kind of loudly “stop contacting me or I am calling the police!” I could just see her on a date playing the stalker victim again! Crazy! © rainmanak44 / Reddit

• On my last online date about three years ago we met at a restaurant and started reading off of a list of questions on her phone rapidly. Stuff mostly about my job and what I’d be doing over the next ten years. Every answer was responded with a negative “hmmm” and a new question. If it had been a job interview, it would have been one of the worst I’ve ever had. As a date it was horrifying. © Unknown author / Reddit

• Talked to a girl for a year, started making changes to see if I could move closer. Only to find out I was her “backup plan”. © macleod2486 / Reddit

With around 323 million users worldwide, online dating has surged, generating $5.61 billion in revenue in 2021. As social interactions shift online, staying safe is key. At Bright Side, we want to help you navigate online dating securely with these simple tips.