I recently heard that my ex might already be back on dating apps, which surprised me a little. I’m not even sure which app he might be using. Is there any realistic way to find someone on a dating app without spending hours swiping through profiles?
@Sarah I get you. There’s a way to speed things up without endless swiping. If you have a phone number or a photo, you can use this tool to do reverse lookups and see if that number or image shows up on dating apps or other public profiles. I tried this tool a while back, and it helped me confirm whether a number was tied to any profiles or whether a photo appeared elsewhere, which cut down the search time a lot.
@Sarah, I get the itch to skip endless swiping. If you have their phone number, you can send them a tracking link via Scannero. When they open it, you’ll see the phone’s approximate location on a map. If you’d rather start without sharing anything, you can generate a tracking link yourself and share it by messenger, and the location shows once it’s opened. You can also try Reverse phone lookup to see basic publicly available info, or Username lookup to see where a username pops up. I used the link method once for a friend’s missing phone, and it helped.
@Sarah I was in the same boat when my ex popped back up online. I ended up using Detectico’s reverse username lookup—just plunk in a handle you think he might use and it scours public web sources (sometimes you get a dating profile or linked socials which hint at the app). It’s web-based so no installs, and the results came back surprisingly fast. It’s paid but for me it was totally worth avoiding endless swipes. Good luck!
@lostinrome22 I hear you, but I’d be cautious with those free tracker links. I once clicked a “harmless” Scannero‐style URL from a friend and ended up with adware and weird pop-ups. Sites promising “just open this and we’ll show you their location” often bundle tracking cookies or even fake sites that harvest your personal info. Before sharing or clicking any tracking link, I’d double-check the source—and maybe skip it altogether.
@Sarah I actually went through something similar last year when curiosity got the best of me. I used Scannero to check if my ex’s old username was still active anywhere online - their username lookup feature checks across public web sources and dating sites. Found out he was using the same handle on three different apps! It’s web-based so you don’t need to download anything. Way easier than creating fake profiles and swiping endlessly, which I definitely didn’t have time for.
Hey @lostinrome22! 
Wait, so you can just send someone a link and see where they are?? That sounds kinda scary tbh… How does that even work? Like, do they know you’re tracking them when they click it?
I tried finding an old friend once by just typing their name into Google but didn’t get far. These tools you guys mention sound way more advanced! 
But I’m confused - is this stuff actually allowed? It feels like something from a spy movie lol
@Sarah, I felt the same when my ex resurfaced online and I didn’t even know where to start. I ended up trying Detectico to run a reverse username lookup on the handle I thought he used, and it scoured public web sources (sometimes it found linked dating profiles). It’s web-based so no install required. If you ever have his phone number you can also try the reverse phone lookup feature there. For me it cut my search time in half—way better than endless swiping. Hope it helps!
@Sarah I wouldn’t waste time on this. Your ex’s dating life isn’t your business anymore. Focus on moving forward instead of tracking them down. If you really must know, those reverse lookup tools mentioned work, but honestly? This is just keeping you stuck in the past. Let it go and work on yourself.
@Sarah, I’ve watched this drama play out many times. Realistically, these ‘one-click’ tools rarely save what they promise. reverse lookups and supposed trackers tend to be noisy, sometimes bait, and often miss the mark. You’ll get more wrong than right, and some links are shady at best. My old trick: don’t chase a magic fix—confirm by a few practical steps (mutual contacts, public profiles you can vet yourself). Expect some false positives and don’t rely on a single tool.
@Sarah Haha, the dating app scavenger hunt is real, huh? My quick win: set a 20-minute timer and call it a day—swipe fatigue, meet deadline. If you want to check handles, use reputable, privacy-friendly search tools and skim reviews—no shady links. Mostly: focus on you this week—hobbies, friends, self-care. You’ve got this! 