POF Red Flags: Plenty of Fish Warning Signs You Need to Know

TLDR

Plenty of Fish is one of the oldest free dating apps still running — and one of the most complained-about. With a 1.9 out of 5 rating across over 52,000 Trustpilot reviews — nearly 80% of which are 1-star — it has real issues that go beyond the usual dating app frustrations. This guide breaks down the POF red flags that real users report most, so you know exactly what you're dealing with before you invest your time, money, or emotions.

Table of Contents

• What Is POF and Who's Actually on It?
• Red Flag #1: The Fake Profile Epidemic
• Red Flag #2: Ghost Profiles That Never Left
• Red Flag #3: Love Bombing in the First Hour
• Red Flag #4: Pushing Off-Platform Immediately
• Red Flag #5: The Military or Deployed Scammer
• Red Flag #6: The Subscription Trap
• Red Flag #7: The "Like Flood" After Your Subscription Expires
• Red Flag #8: Ghost Matches Who Never Speak
• Red Flag #9: Account Hacking and Impersonation
• Red Flag #10: Zero Customer Support
• Red Flag #11: The Match Group Effect
• Is POF Worth Using in 2026?

What Is POF and Who's Actually on It?

Plenty of Fish launched in 2003 — making it one of the oldest dating platforms still operating. It was acquired by Match Group in 2015, the same company that owns Tinder, Hinge, OkCupid, and Match.com. POF's main selling point has always been that it's free to use at a basic level, which means its user base is large, diverse, and wildly inconsistent in quality.

POF tends to attract users who are older on average than Bumble or Hinge, and it's particularly popular in smaller cities and towns where other apps have thin user bases. That large, older demographic is both its strength and its biggest problem — because it also means the platform attracts more scammers, more inactive accounts, and users who are either very serious about long-term relationships or not serious at all. There's very little in between.

According to Trustpilot, POF holds a 1.9 out of 5 rating across more than 52,000 reviews — with nearly 80% of reviewers leaving 1-star ratings. The platform hasn't replied to negative reviews and has no history of requesting reviews through Trustpilot, meaning those 52,000+ opinions are entirely unprompted. That's not just bad — it's one of the lowest ratings of any major dating app.

Here's what real users report most.

🚩 Red Flag #1: The Fake Profile Epidemic

This is the single most common complaint across every review platform, Reddit thread, and forum discussion about POF. Users report that a significant portion of profiles are fake — either bots run by the platform, scammers operating manually, or accounts abandoned years ago that never got removed.

One Trustpilot reviewer put it bluntly: "If I could give this site a negative rating, it would be -1000. I never came across a single legit profile out of 100." Another purchased a year's subscription and cancelled after three months specifically because of fake profiles and scammers. Many report flagging fake accounts only to see them remain active — or return under new names.

How to spot a fake POF profile:

• One photo, no bio, no details filled in. Real people put some effort in. Fake accounts do the minimum to pass basic screening.
• Photos look professionally shot or model-quality. Do a reverse image search immediately. Scammers steal attractive people's photos.
• Account was recently created but messages aggressively from day one. New accounts with very active messaging patterns are often bots.
• Opening message is a generic compliment with no reference to your profile. "You seem really interesting, I'd love to get to know you" sent to hundreds of people at once.

The verdict: POF's fake profile problem is structural. The platform's free entry model means anyone can create an account with zero verification. Proceed with serious caution on any profile that feels off.

🚩 Red Flag #2: Ghost Profiles That Never Left

POF has a significant problem with inactive accounts. Because the platform is free and doesn't delete dormant profiles, you can spend time browsing, swiping, and messaging people who haven't logged in for months or years. The profile looks real — photos, bio, interests — but the person is long gone.

One reviewer noted: "The trouble is some of the members are long gone and the profiles are inactive." Another flagged that the app's distance and preference filters often pull up these stale profiles, making the pool seem larger than it actually is.

Signs you're looking at an inactive profile:

• Last active timestamp shows weeks or months ago
• Profile hasn't been updated despite having a long history
• No response after multiple attempts over several days

The verdict: Always check the last-active status before investing a message.

🚩 Red Flag #3: Love Bombing in the First Hour

Multiple POF users report the same experience: a match starts sending hearts, intense compliments, and declarations of deep interest within the first few messages. "He was sending me hearts and faces with heart eyes and telling me he was thinking about me" — from a real Trustpilot review — describes the classic love bombing opening on POF.

This is almost always a scam setup. The goal is to fast-track emotional connection before you've had time to think critically. Once you feel attached, the ask comes — a financial emergency, a "stuck overseas" situation, or a request to move to a different platform.

For a full breakdown of how this works, read our post on love bombing on dating apps.

The verdict: Intense affection from a stranger in the first hour of conversation is not romantic. It's a script. Slow down.

🚩 Red Flag #4: Pushing Off-Platform Immediately

BBB complaints and user forums consistently flag this pattern: within the first few messages, someone asks you to move to WhatsApp, Kik, Signal, or Telegram. One BBB complaint specifically noted a hacked account being used to ask matches if they "had a Kik or Signal account" — a classic tactic to pull people off a monitored platform.

Once you're on WhatsApp or Telegram, POF can't see the conversation, can't moderate it, and you lose any ability to report or block through the app's safety tools. You also hand over your phone number.

The verdict: Anyone who pushes to leave POF before a real conversation has happened is removing your safety net on purpose. Stay on the platform until you've had enough conversation to make an informed decision.

🚩 Red Flag #5: The Military or Deployed Scammer

This is one of the most reported romance scam patterns on POF specifically. The profile shows an attractive person — often claiming to be a military officer, engineer, or doctor — who is currently "deployed overseas," "working on an oil rig," or "traveling internationally for work." They can't video call because of "security protocols." They fall for you fast. Then the emergency hits.

Common versions of the ask:

• Needs money to fly home to meet you
• Medical emergency and can't access their bank
• Customs issue holding a package that requires a fee
• Investment opportunity they want to share with you

The FTC has documented romance scams as one of the top fraud categories by total dollar loss in the US. If someone on POF claims to be deployed or unable to meet in person for any extended reason, treat that as a significant red flag until proven otherwise.

The verdict: "I'm deployed but I can't wait to come home to you" is a script. Ask for a live video call and watch how they respond.

🚩 Red Flag #6: The Subscription Trap

POF's billing practices are among the most complained-about in the BBB database. Users report signing up for what they believe is a one-time or short-term subscription, only to find themselves auto-renewed at rates they didn't clearly agree to. Multiple reviewers also describe a paywall structure that doesn't make sense: premium memberships that still require additional payment to send messages.

What to do:

• Read subscription terms in full before paying — look specifically for "automatically renews" language
• Pay through Apple or Google Play where cancellation is straightforward through your device settings
• Screenshot your subscription confirmation immediately
• Set a calendar reminder before the renewal date

The verdict: Know what you're signing up for before your card is charged.

🚩 Red Flag #7: The "Like Flood" After Your Subscription Expires

While you're a paying subscriber, activity feels normal or low. The moment your subscription expires — suddenly, you get a wave of likes. Notifications flood in. But you can't see who they're from without upgrading again.

One Trustpilot reviewer described it: "Total scam. One like in 3 months of premium subscription by a possible realistic match. Once subscription ran out, I got like 10 likes a day that you can't see to try to get you to pay again."

This is algorithmically manufactured urgency — and many of those "likes" are from the same fake accounts mentioned in Red Flag #1.

The verdict: Don't let manufactured FOMO drive your subscription decisions.

🚩 Red Flag #8: Ghost Matches Who Never Speak

"Women show up, like you and start a conversation and then ghost you. Happens so frequently it's just expected." That's a Trustpilot review, and it describes a pattern that shows up across every gender on POF.

The free model means people create accounts out of boredom, swipe for a weekend, and abandon the app entirely. Matches can sit untouched indefinitely with no structural pressure to follow through.

Read our full guide on ghosting in dating for how to handle it without internalizing it as rejection.

The verdict: Ghost matches on POF are partly a platform design failure. If someone doesn't respond within a few days, move on.

🚩 Red Flag #9: Account Hacking and Impersonation

BBB complaints include a pattern of accounts being compromised — phone numbers changed without authorization, matches being messaged from hacked accounts asking for Kik or Signal, and identity theft through profile photos. One complaint described being locked out after a hacker changed the phone number on file, with a vague, delayed response from POF and no refund.

What to do if you suspect a hacked account:

• Stop responding to off-platform requests
• Report the account through POF's reporting tool
• Don't share any personal contact information until you've verified via video call

The verdict: POF's security infrastructure is weak. Account hacking is a documented, recurring issue.

🚩 Red Flag #10: Zero Customer Support

When something goes wrong on POF, you're on your own. The platform offers a single email contact form — no phone number, no live chat. Responses, when they come, are templated and unhelpful. Trustpilot also notes that POF has not replied to negative reviews and has no history of requesting reviews through the platform.

"This dating app's customer service is absolutely terrible. It's impossible to reach anyone to delete or cancel a subscription. It feels like they intentionally make it difficult to keep raking in your money." — Trustpilot review.

The verdict: Document everything and dispute through your bank if needed.

🚩 Red Flag #11: The Match Group Effect

Long-term users of POF consistently point to the 2015 Match Group acquisition as the turning point — more bots, more paywalls, worse algorithm behavior, and a general shift from connecting users to extracting subscription revenue.

"This dating website was great before being purchased by Match Group. It is absolutely terrible and I would never recommend it to anyone. They use fake profiles. For example, you get a ton of 'interest' right before your subscription expires." — Trustpilot review.

Match Group owns Tinder, Hinge, OkCupid, and Match.com. The incentive structure for a company that owns multiple dating platforms is not to help you find a relationship quickly.

The verdict: Know who built the platform you're trusting with your time.

Is POF Worth Using in 2026?

The honest answer: it depends entirely on where you live and what you're looking for. In large cities and smaller markets where other apps run thin, POF's size is genuinely useful. But going in without knowing the red flags is how people lose weeks, months, and real money.

The checklist before you use POF:

• Reverse image search every profile that seems too good
• Never pay through the app directly — use Apple or Google Play for easy cancellation
• Don't move off-platform until you've video-called
• Treat love bombing in early messages as an immediate disqualifier
• Check last-active status before investing in a message
• Screenshot any subscription confirmation you receive

If you want a tool that reads the profile signals before you invest — spotting fake patterns, low-effort bios, and compatibility mismatches — ProfileFlags does that in seconds. One payment of $19.99 for unlimited scans, on any dating app.

For the full picture on what every flag color means in dating, read our Flag Survival Guide: The Dating Signs You Can't Afford to Ignore.

And if you're ready to date with more intention and less wasted time, Date Like Your Time Is Valuable is the guide for exactly that.

POF is a tool. Like any tool, it can work if you know how to use it — and when to put it down.