Is it Okay to Lie About your Age, Weight, or Anything?

In this superficial world, is it okay to fudge the numbers when it comes to your age, income or weight or is honesty the best policy?

by eHarmony Staff

Ever feel like it’s a jungle out there? The truth is, the dating scene can be intimidating, frustrating, and full of rejection at times. Like it or not, online daters have been known to judge potential partners based on such superficialities as age, looks, and material possessions. So is it ever okay to lie about these things? And if so, when and where do you draw the line?

Weigh the Pros and Cons

Obviously, if you feel that your age or any other superficial factor is knocking you out of the dating game, the temptation to lie will be strong. On the pro side, by shaving a few years off your age, taking a few pounds off your weight, or adding to your income, you may just find yourself back in the game. You may even be considered the catch that you are! However, on the con side, you’ve just misrepresented yourself to a perfect stranger. If you hit it off, how can you “fess up” without looking like a liar? And when, exactly, do you schedule your big reveal?

Put yourself in the Other Person’s Shoes

Before you change your age, income, body type, or whatever on your online dating profile to try to make yourself more appealing, ask yourself this: How would you feel if someone misrepresented something about themselves on their profile? There’s a big difference between erasing a few birthdays and lying about your marital status or whether you’ve had children. But really, where’s the line? And how do you know if and when you’ve crossed it? Dating is tough enough when everyone’s completely honest with one another. It just gets that much trickier when you start blurring the truth in hopes of being found more attractive.