You finally match with someone who seems like your type. They’re a looker, their bio is interesting, and they reply faster than your best friend. For a minute, you think, “Maybe Bumble really is the safer dating app”.

And in many ways, it is. Bumble puts women in charge, uses AI to block fakes, and blurs explicit photos before you even have a look at them.  But here’s the uncomfortable truth: catfishes adapt. 

You don’t need high-level skills to catch a catfish: you just need to accept Bumble for what it is: a mix of real connections and a few clever fakes. Here’s how to outsmart a Bumble catfish…

1. Use ProFaceFinder Catfish Reverse

ProFaceFinder lets you run a quick reverse search on someone’s pictures. If the same face shows up with different names, pops up in complaints, or appears with inconsistent results, you’ve got your answers.

Just upload a clear photo, pay a few bucks ($6 for 2 searches, $10 for 7), and you’ll get results that help confirm whether your match is legit or living a double life.

2 minutes here will save you weeks (or months) of wasted time and possible heartbreak. Safer dating starts with research.

2. Ask for a Photo Verification check

Ask your match to get verified. It takes seconds, and if they dodge it, joke it off, or get defensive, start suspecting their intentions.

3. Watch their texting style

If every message is about IG plugs, crypto opportunities, or OnlyFans pitches, that’s not flirting, it’s marketing. Unless your kink is getting recruited into a pyramid scheme, that’s your cue to run.

4. Check their consistency.

Catfish love recycled scripts. Ask them about something oddly specific. If their answers are vague or don’t add up (even after asking multiple times), they’re either fake, or worse: they don’t have a personality.

5. Compare bio vs. behavior.

They claim they’re a doctor but only suggest drinking water after every ache you’ve got? Or say they’re “from Amsterdam” but can’t name a single local spot? 

👉 Quick tip: Don’t be shy to ask about the life they claim to have: where they live, what they studied, what they do. Genuine people won’t struggle to talk about their own lives.

6. Stay longer on Bumble

Bumble builds safety into the app (reporting, blocking, and even AI) that flags shady behavior. The moment you jump to WhatsApp or Instagram, you ditch that safety net. 

7. See if they ask for nudes

Catfishes love to play the “I send, you send” trap. Luckily, Bumble’s Private Detector™ auto-blurs potential nudes so you don’t get ambushed. If someone pressures you to send pics back, skip the guilt trip: block and report.

8. Push for a date

Meeting in person is where online fantasy collides with reality. If they’re serious, they’ll want to grab coffee or at least set a date. In case they keep dodging, rescheduling, or throwing excuses…not so much…

AI helps with detection, but you’re still in charge. Bumble’s AI blocks most fakes, especially the sketchy ones. Reporting tools and message warnings add extra layers of protection. Still, 1 in 20 Bumble catfishes slip through, and that’s who you should look out for.

Online dating is already a gamble. Add catfishing into the mix, and it can feel like you need detective skills just to get a latte with someone. 

The point isn’t to date in paranoia. It’s to know the patterns so you can relax when a match does feel real. Because once you’ve ruled out the nonsense, you can actually focus on what you came here for.

What is Bumble Doing to Keep Users Safe From Catfishes

Bumble prides itself on being a safer choice for online dating for women, and they hold their end of the deal by implementing multiple safety features:

📷 ID and Photo Verification, for verifying identities;

🔎 Private Detector, for detecting inappropriate texts;

🎥 Voice & Video Chat, for ensuring matches are who they say they are;

👭 Share Date Details, for telling your friends details of your online date;

🛑 Blocking & Reporting, for keeping yourself and the community safe, and more!

Yeah, it is a relatively safe dating app, but if a professional human catfish comes to the scene, who’s verified and a good storyteller, most fall prey because they seem normal.

So, for smart catfishes, none of these features guarantee user safety, so you have to take matters into your own hands and learn the signs of fake Bumble profiles.

Bot vs. Human Catfishes: How to Tell Them Apart

When you think about it, bots aren’t the biggest issue…human scammers/catfishes who have learned the ropes by now are. Here’s how they differ:

– Bots:

Bots rarely make it far on Bumble. Their scripts are rigid, repetitive, and easy for AI filters to catch. Copy-paste scripts don’t survive long when an algorithm is trained to spot them. The most common signs include:

• Nonsensical replies (irrelevant, typos, and symbols);
• Lots of links;
• Scripted conversations;
• Overly sexual behavior;
• AI-generated or stolen imagery/videos;
• Contradictory, dull, or weird bios.

– Human Catfishes:

Human catfishes are a different story. They know Bumble is stricter than most apps, so they learn. Their humanity is what makes them less prone to repeating the red flags.

Instead, they blend in. They pick average-looking photos, sprinkle in a believable personality, and play along until you’re invested. That’s when the mask slips. But just to be sure, this is what to look out for:

• Instagram handles in bios (highly discouraged);
• Talking about  “investment opportunities”;
• Sexual behavior mixed with attempted romance;
• Pushy behavior;
• Urging you to move to other socials;
• Usage of others’ photos (celebrities or otherwise);
• Forced intimacy and closeness, etc.

Some signs intertwine, and some are unique, but keep in mind: human catfishes have the ability to connect with fellow human users, answer their questions, and utilize humor and experience.

How to Recover From a Bumble Catfish

Online dating can be messy, manipulative, and downright exhausting, but don’t let it shake your self-worth. Catfishes are pros at creating illusions, and it’s absolutely not your fault.

If the damage has already been done, there are ways to regain control of your emotions (or assets), depending on the kind of damage that the catfish did:

If you two didn’t get too close…

Log off Bumble and take a break to recharge. It sucks you wasted your precious time on a catfish, but be glad you didn’t form a serious relationship with them like some have.

Scroll through your chat to see if you unknowingly revealed any sensitive information, such as addresses, credit card info, nudes, etc.

Report them ASAP, cut ties completely, and talk to someone you trust if you feel like you need to. Catfishes can leave you feeling anxious, scared, and insecure. 

If you two got TOO close…

I’m talking dating for MONTHS, sharing sensitive information about your identity, where you live, and your credit card details. You developed feelings for them, and they led you to believe they were legit.

What I first need you to do is breathe. Next, contact the police, freeze your accounts, and keep screenshots you might find useful: conversations or anything pointing to their real identity.

As always, block & report them, and talk to someone about what happened. If you’re stuck, your support system will guide you the right way!