Watch the video version of this article:
Shoutout to Radical/Cam for suggesting this article idea.
Tinder/Hinge/Bumble/etc bans are something quite a few guys seem to be worried about – even when they haven’t actually been banned. I see quite a few of you who haven’t even been banned but you’re paranoid about the possibility of it, as if it’d be the world’s worth thing and your entire dating life would be over, and you’d be destined to you sink in to misery and loneliness for the rest of your life.
Reality is, being banned on a dating app is not that big a deal. At all. You just make a new account and get on with it. Even more importantly, being banned doesn’t happen all that often (unless you’re using BDSM pictures like I do). But if you’re just a regular guy using regular (non-BDSM) photos, being banned is not something you need to get yourself all stressed out about.
If you ever are banned, it’s a super easy process to get around – really not a big deal. You only need to change 5 things to get around the ban (and ensure your new account isn’t just immediately banned as well):
- Get a new device (phone)
- Get a new number (SIM card)
- Get a new email address
- Get a new Google Pay Account (or ApplePay)
- Edit your photos slightly so they’re not 100% exactly the same.
1. and 2. New Device and New Number: Both of these are fixed by buying a new phone with a new sim card (new number) in it. Just buy a super cheap phone, there’s no need to spend more than $50 on it.
Note: Do NOT just use the same phone you were using before (even if you buy a new SIM card for it). Your new account will just be banned immediately if you use the same device as before. Get a new SIM + a new (cheap) phone.
Do NOT use the same internet (Wifi) as you were using before – eg don’t just connect to your home’s wifi network if that was the internet you were using on your old phone when you got banned, as it’ll have the same IP address and you’ll just be banned account. Use the mobile internet that comes with the new phone + SIM card you just bought.
3. New Email: Make a new email address (Gmail is easiest) – don’t use the same old email you were using on your banned account.
4. New Google Pay Account: When buying boosts or paying for Tinder Platinum, do NOT just use the exact same credit card you used before. You need to add a layer of abstraction by making a new Google Pay (or ApplePay) account, and then linking your card to that new account. Use that Google Pay/ApplePay account to pay for anything on the dating apps; don’t directly enter your credit card details into Tinder/Hinge/Bumble/etc.
5. Edit Your Photos Slightly: Do NOT just upload the exact same photos as you were using before, or your account will be banned within a day or 2 (even if you do everything else on this page). You need to edit your photos slightly, so they’re not exactly 100% the same. I show you exactly how to do so in this video here. You can use Photoshop or a free editing tool like GIMP/etc to mirror the pics, slightly change the colours, or use the “Liquify tool” – whatever you need to do to slightly edit your pics. Do this for all your photos.
Things you DON’T need to change: You don’t need to change your bio (as long as you weren’t being offensive/extremely sexually crass in your bio).
You don’t need to change what you write in messages to women (as long as you’re not being extremely offensive/extremely sexually crass).
In other words, you can keep the same old bio + messages you were using before.
Once you’ve made all the changes above, go ahead and make your new Tinder/Hinge/Bumble/etc account with the new phone number, new device, new email, new payment method and new photos. And that’s it – you’re done.
As for why your account may have been banned, here’s a few of the reasons guys get banned:
- Being too blunt/crass
- You were just randomly reported by a few girls (it doesn’t take many reports to get you banned)
- Using BDSM pics like mine
- Being rude/insulting to chicks
- Mentioning certain words – eg “OnlyFans”, etc
And the final question people ask from time to time:
“Am I Shadow-banned?”
No, your profile just sucks. If you’re not getting matches and think you might be “shadow-banned”, go take better pictures (use my Tinder Guide), use plenty of boosts on Tinder, and you’ll get more matches. Shadow-banning isn’t a thing; your pictures just suck.
The Takeaway:
- Change your phone device, number, email, google pay account, and edit your photos.
- Don’t stress about bans, they don’t happen as much as you think.
- And if they do, just make a new account.
- You’re not shadow-banned; your pictures just need some work.
