Online Dating Horror Stories That Are Too Crazy to Make Up
Today’s dating sector is a fast-growing industry, as singles are turning to the internet and apps to help them find partners for any and every kind of relationship. An article by Global Web Index states that 41 percent of online singles globally have used online dating apps or sites within the past month alone. But the rapid growth of online dating isn’t just about finding love; it’s also about making money. Worldwide revenue in the Online Dating segment amounts to $1.67 billion in 2019, with an expected annual growth rate of 4.2 percent.
Amid all the criticism directed at online dating, it does have its advantages over a more traditional dating approach. The size of the dating pool is larger and more diverse, you will find people from outside your social circle, and it allows you to be pickier. These apps have changed the dating game because they give people more choice in their dating process as well. They can hook up, have casual or platonic dates, or even get into friendship. Some even use it for networking.
There are problems, though, especially for women it seems. Ghosting, flaking, sexting and open relationships have essentially become the norm. But just as you think it couldn’t get any worse, there’s always a horror story that tops it all. Here are some real-life online dating stories women across the globe shared to remind us all that we can’t take any of it too seriously — and certainly not too personally.
Not Your Average Tour
I went on a date to meet a British guy I met on Tinder. He had come to India on a tour. And I had just quit my job and was looking for a travel partner. But on the date, I realized he was in India on a sex tour.
Apparently, that is a thing where they go to a country and try everything with the “native people,” which includes joining polyamorous couples, threesomes etc. He thought I was one of those Indians who look for a foreigner to experiment. Needless to say, it was a weird story.
— Chittra M; travel blogger; Bengaluru, India
On the Run
After the date, he was driving me home, when he did an illegal traffic move and got pulled over. He decided to run from the police (with me in the car). He tried to pull into a driveway and hide, but they found us.
They put us both in handcuffs while they searched the car. They ended up giving me a ride home and took him to jail. Apparently, it was a stolen car. I never saw him again, as he was extradited to another state for outstanding warrants.
— Reddit User Bewarethewulf
Unexpected Company
I had a guy text me just before our first date to say his 10-year-old son needed to come along because whatever arrangement he’d made fell through. I tried to get him to reschedule our dinner, but he insisted.
It turned out the 10-year-old was a more interesting conversationalist than his dad!
— Johanna; writer and contributing editor; Vancouver, Canada
A Bit Greedy
I met a guy on Match.com (around 2006/7 back in New York City). He was really nice. We went on about four or five dates. One week, he asked me out to dinner, and I told him I couldn’t go because I didn’t get paid until the following week. I was a broke kid and told him I had only $10 to last me until the next week. He said it would be his treat, and he really wanted to see me.
We went to a pizza place and shared a pizza and had a glass of wine. The bill came, and it just sat there for ages. Finally, I said we should go. He picked up the bill, looked at it and said, “If we split, it is $15/each including tip.”
I looked at him like shocked, and I said, “I told you I only have $10 to last me until next week,” to which he replied, “Cool, give me the $10, and you owe me a drink later!”
— Erica Taylor; digital marketer; Capetown, South Africa
The Anti-Feminist
On the first date, the guy asked me (in some hypothetical way about why feminism is awful), “Would you rather be raped or sent to jail for 20 years?”
Pro tip guys: That sentence should probably never, ever be said to someone you don’t know, but especially not on a first date.
— Reddit User Andromeda321
A First Date or Business Meeting?
We met via an online dating site. He corresponded with me daily for weeks and seemed pretty interested.
He invited me to hang out, and then it actually turned out to be a multi-level marketing recruitment meeting, i.e., a pyramid scheme.
— Twitter User Kenya D
A Bad Kisser
I went on a Tinder date that was fairly normal. He was polite, and we had good flow with conversation, dinner and a movie. He walked me to my car and leaned in to kiss me. I was like, “OK, let’s see how this goes.”
It was the worst face violation I’ve ever experienced. It felt like he was encasing the entire bottom half of my face in between his smushy lips and then just started roving his tongue around. I could feel saliva pooling around my lips. I gave it five seconds and broke it off. I quite literally had to wipe the spit off my face with the back and front of my hand. I shudder when I think about it — even over a year later, I can feel the phantom drool on my face.
— Reddit User equusoddball
A Huge White Lie
In 2016, I met this guy via Tinder. He told me he liked me and wanted to get to know me. We talked a lot and met often. He would keep saying, “Just one kiss please” or “At least let me touch your hair and face.”
It was such a turn off that I started avoiding him. And after 10 days, I learned he got married. I checked the girl’s Facebook page and found out he was engaged when we met. I mean, he wanted to marry his mother’s choice, but he apparently needed one last fling before that.
— Manjari Singh, writer, Lucknow, India
Just Plain Rude
I saw this guy at my physiotherapy (PT), and we matched the same day on Hinge. We talked about how I had a back injury and had been bedridden for six months, and set up to meet for drinks the next day. Once there, he asked me what my favorite food was there, and I suggested a few things. He said, “You seem to know a lot about the food here,” to which I replied, “Yeah, I’m a foodie.”
Then, he said, “Looking at you, I can tell.”
I was perplexed. Did this guy just tell me I’m fat, especially after I just told him I’ve been bedridden for six months? And he’s seen me at PT in my gym clothes — he knew I was fat! Trying to give him an out, I laughed and said, “Are you saying I’m fat?”
I had my fingers crossed here because I was hoping he’s just awkward. He said, “I mean, no one’s really going to call you thin, right?”
I threw a $20 on the table and walked off, told him to keep the change. His reaction to this was to send me a text later, asking if there was going to be a second date!
— Nibha Parihar, consultant, San Jose, Calif.
Quite the Proposition
I went on a date with a retired athlete, who asked me why I didn’t have kids yet. I am 27, so I asked what’s wrong with me for not having them.
Convinced that I must have issues, he said that my time was ticking and asked when was I ovulating, saying that he’d give me a child if I needed one.
— Twitter User r0etry
A Multitasker
On our fourth date, we went back to his place to watch football. We were on the couch and cuddling — he had his arm around me.
He must have been disappointed that I was actually watching football because I looked over my shoulder, and he was on Tinder literally behind my back looking for his next date. Then, he asked me when I wanted to see him again.
— Buzzfeed Community User chrissieb411df57fa
Not a Good Listener
I went on a date with a girl last Saturday for the first time. She had practically been begging for a date since October 2018. I gave in. During the three hours I was with her, all she did was talk about herself! Any question I directed toward her wasn’t returned. I think the only thing she asked me was, “What drink do you want?” and then ended up getting the wrong one.
I cut the date short, made an excuse that I had things to do the next morning. When I got home, she messaged me saying, “I feel like I’ve known you for years.” Girl what? She’s asking for another date now, and I’ve politely declined and said that I’m no longer available.
— Shyla Peri, freelance graphic designer, London
The Opposite of Sexy
I went out on a few dates from guys on OKCupid. There was one guy who I thought was pretty cute, so I decided to take a chance and go out with him. We went out for dinner, which was fine until he started talking about his ex-fiancé who was a dancer on some popular TV show back in the Philippines who actually had a husband, etc. So, that already turned me off.
Then, we went to a movie and he started to jerk off!!!! Right in the theater! He just unzipped his pants and started going at it, and I sat next to him horrified! He even had the nerve to tell me I’m the weird one because every normal person jerks off in movie theaters … This was during the trailers. Then, he tried to go at it with me in the theater, which I really wasn’t in the mood for, so I moved across the theater to enjoy the movie while he sat in his corner fapping for all I know. Needless to say, we never saw each other again. The movie was great though!
— Reddit User theangrytarsier
A Little Too Fast
His ex-girlfriend drove up in her car and went on a high-speed chase after us. I held on for dear life.
— Twitter User Colleen Doran
Too Close for Comfort
I met a guy online, and we hit it off on our first date. A couple weeks later, we had gone on four dates, and he knew where I lived. That’s when it started getting weird. He wouldn’t return my phone calls, so after a week, I stopped trying. Not long after, I glanced out the window of my house and saw him parked a couple houses down with another person in the car. I waited to see what he would do, and he drove off an hour later. A couple days later, he was back, except parked in a different location. I started to get freaked out. There was also a second person in the car that time. They left two hours later.
The third time I saw his car outside, I was poised to call the cops. I didn’t get a chance because there was a knock on the door. I opened it to a very pregnant girl on my front steps. She began to rant: How could I date a guy with a girlfriend, did I not have any morals, who did I think I was trying to steal her man? I let her go on for a while before I interrupted her, told her I had no idea, and I asked why she was mad at me since I wasn’t the one cheating on her. I found out that she forced him to drive to my house and sit outside nine different times. NINE! She wanted to see what I looked like and have him confront me and break it off, but he wouldn’t go up to my door. I wish them all the best.
— Buzzfeed User SamanthaG49
Fantasies Gone Very, Very Awry
Chatting to a guy for a while on OKCupid, he visits me from down south. It all seems good, as we have food, drinks and some sexy time — a good two days with lots of noisy sex. Post coital chat about fantasies, and he tells me he’s always had a fantasy about f**king a young boy, and almost got to with one of his ex’s wee brothers!
Unsurprisingly, I have no contact with him at all after that and still occasionally check his local paper to see if he was been brought up on any charges. I was never sure if I should have gone to the police or not…
— Reddit User michiru-82