More of a WWYD...

[JulietBravoJuliet]

Browsing a dating website, I've just come across a friends partner. They've been together 6 months, site says he has been online within the last 30 days. Describes himself as looking for fun but nothing serious.

Do I tell her? I'm on her behalf!

[BuffyxSummers]

Argh what a horrible thing to find! I found my (at the time) boyfriends best friend on a dating site once (checking to see if the boyfriend had been on ). I'd only met his girlfriend twice so didn't feel like I could say anything to her.

I think you should tell her though. I would have had I known that girlfriend beyond basic small talk. As it was I didn't because I didn't know anything about their relationship or if it was something she may know about. If you know your friend thinks it's exclusive, I'd tell.

[JulietBravoJuliet]

Haha I was browsing to see if the guy who dumped me on New Year's Eve has reactivated his profile yet, as that's where we met!

I'm going to have to tell her aren't I? I'd hate to upset her but she's just moved in with him and is head over heels in love. I'm trying to think of a rational explanation before I go rocking the boat, but the photo, location, user name, description etc is 100% him :(

[BuffyxSummers]

Oh no, she lives with him! That makes it even harder for you! At least if she knows she can make an informed decision rather than being blissfully unaware. Your poor friend :(

[Bogeyface]

How about an email?

"Hey you!

This is difficult because I dont want to get this wrong, but you need to know this. I thought an email would be best so you can process it and then call me when you are ready.

I found this (insert link but attach screenshot incase he deletes it) online when I was cyber stalking [your ex]. As you can see, he has been on this site in the last 30 days so this is not an old profile.
As I said, call me when you are ready.

All my love

Juliet"

[ComposHat]

I'd not do anything at this stage as you have no definitive proof he's cheating or if they're in an 'exclusive' relationship.

If you run to tell your friend, you run the risk of your friend accusing you of being a shit stirrer, snooper or the person who wrecked her budding relationship.

[JulietBravoJuliet]

I'll tell her, I've got to; she's one of my best friends and if it was me, I'd want to know. Why are men such bloody bastards? :(

[JulietBravoJuliet]

Compos they've moved in together and I know it's serious/exclusive, at least on her side.

[sykadelic15]

I'd go in person to see her on a day when he wasn't there.

I'd say, "I was stalking X on that dating site Y and while I didn't find X I did find something I wanted to show you." and show her the site. Tell her you didn't want to cause her pain but that you thought she should know that it appeared he'd been active in the last 30 days.

Might be an idea to set up a fake profile and see if he "bites" (only if she's okay with it). Just in case he tries to claim that he only logged on, or was "active", to get info on cancelling his account but it takes time (or something like that).

[TheProsAndConsOfHitchhiking]

I would probably invite friend round for a cuppa wine, get on the conversation of your ex and see if he had reactivated his profile on the dating site whilst she was there. you never know what you both might stumble across whilst you are stalking your ex

that way you haven't actually chucked in the spanner and friend will see what she needs to see

[Custardo]

if you get her round to your house, you could get online to check the fella who dumped you together, in a ' oh lets see what x is doing now' and then you could say ' dya want to see if your dps profile is still up ?'

[JulietBravoJuliet]

Great minds think alike :) I was thinking the best way would be for her to find it herself. I had narrowed the search down to a very specific age, location etc so there weren't that many results to go through.

[JulietBravoJuliet]

Bit of an update and more of a WWYD... I've now spotted TWO partners of friends on an online dating site. The second one has been online today, is after fun, no strings sex, and has been in a relationship with my friend for 4 years, got engaged Christmas Day

I'm going to have to stop browsing dating sites; I feel sick to the stomach that I'm now privy to information that two of my good friends really should be aware of. I'm 100% sure that neither of these is a case of mistaken identity; both have a clear photo, have used their real names as part of their user names, correct age and location and both have been online recently enough to know it's not an old profile set up prior to their current relationships.

What the actual fuck do I do?? Can't cope with wrecking two mates relationships! Do I throw a "LTB" party? Help!

[Worried3]

Don't know a huge amount about dating websites, so perhaps being naive- is there any reason why they might have logged in without actually doing anything (so logging in is counted as activity)? Maybe they were just logging in to "cyber stalk" someone- like you did. Ok, I guess it's a long-shot, but that's the story their likely to give.

Be careful, the tendency is to shoot the messenger. Perhaps best if you could "let her find out herself" as you outlined. Or just say "look, i found this when cyber stalking my-ex- I don't know the significance of it, but thought you should know" and leave it at that.

[Bogeyface]

How about "Sorry, but you need to see this" with a link and screenshot?

How fucking stupid to use their real names and photos?!

[JulietBravoJuliet]

I guess that could be the explanation for the first one I found, but the second has a very recent picture of himself in their newly decorated lounge, so at some point in the last few months, he's logged in and updated his photo. If it were just an account he used to cyber stalk, surely he'd remove the message about wanting no strings sex? Or maybe he's just really, really stupid... I'm really at a loss as to how to approach this. I realise it's not really any of my business, but they're both good friends that I see regularly and I don't want them getting hurt :(

[Merel]

I'd make a fake profile and message him, see if he replies

[BillyBanter]

In the first one it may be that as the relationship developed he just stopped going on there rather than deactivating and he got an email that he got a message and logged on in idle curiosity, or even accidentally clicked on an email on his phone so logged as going on there. It's even possible that he chats to people on there as friends. I used to have someone who was not suitable for me but we'd chat sometimes when online. it has a forum too. Or he has a nosey once in a while which isn't great... Also I've looked at profiles for friends or even on forums which would log as activity on my okc account. The realatively innocent possibilities make this one the most difficult to know what to do with.

The second one it seems very unlikely to be anything other than him looking to cheat on his partner.

[Bogeyface]

You are pussy footing around, are you going to tell them?

Sorry, but I was the wife so I am thinking "just tell them already!"

Good luck x

[littleblackno]

I would want to know, but then I found my exh profile on a dating site. (I was stalking him long story!)
I agree to message them and seem if they reply.
not a good situation to be in though.

[JulietBravoJuliet]

Right I've set up a fake profile and messaged them both. First one, the one I was thinking might be a mistake, has messaged me back already asking where I am and if I have any pictures I can send him. Guess that answers that question then...

Bogeyface yes! I'm going to tell them! just want to make sure I'm right first before I go upsetting peoples lives :(

[DoubleLifeIsALifeOfSorts]

Oh dear what an awful situation.

[rightsaidfrederick]

How dreadful but at least if they know now they can avoid getting in deeper and ending up with heartbreak compounded by divorce, kids, a mortgage and all the other stuff that they'll get themselves into otherwise.

They may not see it quite that way at first, but ultimately you're doing them a favour.

[rightsaidfrederick]

On a side note, I never have quite recovered from finding my dad on a dating website! (Parents divorced decades ago!)

[CheerfulYank]

I would most definitely tell.