‘Definitely not the person I’d been talking to’: How catfishers are prowling Singapore’s dating apps

Convinced by his explanations, Ms Chee continued the relationship, believing she was talking to a genuine person. 

“Looking back, I’m just an average-looking person. Why would someone who looked so good, and was so talented and tip-top, match with me?” she said. 

During the next week, Aiden asked her to invest in a sustainability platform, claiming it was by invitation only and low-risk – framing the investment as a way for them to secure a future together.

“He promised me a lot of things. I believed his fairy tale about the future – having kids and pets together.”

The truth emerged only when a bank officer alerted her to the scam after noticing unusual transfers. By then, she had lost over S$40,000 (US$31,153) to the catfisher. 

Even while filing a police report, Ms Chee struggled to accept what had happened, holding onto the hope that Aiden was who he claimed to be.

The ordeal has since kept her off dating apps, leaving her wary of online connections and uneasy about meeting people virtually.

“Everyone feels scary, like they could be anyone,” she said.

For Mr Marcus Toh, 24, the deception was subtler and involved heavily edited or outdated photos that presented an online image far removed from reality.

Mr Toh, a healthcare worker who has been using dating apps for about a year, said multiple matches looked markedly different when they met in person, such as appearing younger and of a different build.

He added that over time, such encounters have become less shocking to him even if they remain disappointing, describing them as a reality many users now quietly expect, and accept.

“It makes me feel like I was deceived and my time was wasted,” said Mr Toh. “But I’ve come to accept it as part of the dating app experience.”

Some like Joseph, who declined to give his real name, discovered just how easily it can happen after being catfished not once, but twice. 

About three years ago, having just ended a serious relationship, the 23-year-old decided to try dating again and agreed to go on a Hinge date.

It took him some time to find his match in an ice cream store in Tanjong Pagar – not because of the crowd but because his match looked nothing like the profile picture.