10 Ways to Catch Your Partner Cheating

We’ve all been there: you can feel it deep in your gut. There’s someone else. And while that gut feeling is generally the first sign to break up, it’s only human to want more proof — and answers —before ending the relationship.

You might try to get a confession out of them, but here’s the truth: most cheaters don’t get caught because they own up to their actions. They often get caught because they’re careless with their online behavior.

Cheaters often hide dating apps and delete their Instagram DMs and text messages to avoid getting caught, but they might not be as careful on other platforms. Here are 10 ways to catch your partner cheating.

1. Check Netflix and Other Streaming Accounts

Cheaters delete what’s on their phones, but they might not remember what’s on their TV. If your significant other uses streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Prime Video, Peacock, or Paramount, it might be time to give them a closer look.

For starters, check whether any other email addresses have logged in to the platform. If they had someone over and that person logged into their account, your partner might not have thought to delete it from their TV.

Also, be sure to look for profiles you didn’t create. If there’s suddenly a new profile on the account (and it’s not for anyone you know), it could be a huge red flag of cheating.

Netflix also allows you to view account activity. It allows you to see which devices are currently watching and when the app was last used. If someone was watching from the device when your partner was supposedly at work, it could be a sign that either they were lying about their whereabouts, or someone else was using the TV when neither of you was around.

2. Look at Their Spotify or Apple Music Activity

Let’s be real: music tells on people.

If your partner has a Spotify or Apple Music account, pay attention to their playlists. If they’re listening to new songs about love or having an affair. Another red flag is if they’re suddenly listening to new bands, artists, or genres outside of their usual music tastes.

Of course, that’s not proof that your partner is cheating, but it could be a digital clue.

But here’s an even bigger way Spotify can help you catch a cheater. It allows people to follow friends. If your significant other has a new follower, it could be someone they’re seeing. If you do a little creeping, you might catch them cheating.

3. Pay Attention to Uber & Ride History

If you share an Uber account or have access to their phone, take a closer look at their Uber or Lyft ride activity. Pay attention to drop-offs/pickups in unfamiliar locations — or locations that don’t match where they said they were at the time. For example, if they were supposed to be at work but were actually at a movie theater, this could be a huge red flag of cheating.

4. Check Their Venmo Transactions

A lot of people don’t realize their Venmo transactions are public. And for cheaters, this means there’s a big risk of getting caught.

If they’ve made repeated Venmo transactions to someone for purchases like movie tickets, drinks, dinner, hotels, or airfare, it could signal the fact that they’re cheating. It will be even more obvious if they use emojis or pet names in their transactions.

Venmo could tell you nothing, or it could tell you a lot. But it’s worth looking into if you suspect your significant other is cheating.

5. Check Amazon

If you share an Amazon account (or have access to their computer), it might be time to do some snooping. Look at their recent orders. Are gifts being sent to someone else? If they’ve ordered romantic gifts and you didn’t receive them, it’s important to ask who did. Be sure to look at delivery addresses and the names that they’re attached to. If there’s anyone unfamiliar, it could be a cheating red flag. And be sure to check archived orders. If they are smart enough to try to hide their orders for someone else, that’s where you’ll find them.

6. Look at Email “Auto-Fill” Clues

If your significant other auto-fill is trying to encourage them to send an email to someone specific, it could mean that they’re emailing them frequently. A suggested email doesn’t necessarily mean they’re cheating, but it could mean something.

7. Notice Messaging App Behavior (Not Just Texts)

If your partner is using WhatsApp, Telegram, or Snapchat, it could mean they’re cheating. Disappearing or hidden messages can be a big red flag. It’s even more suspicious if they weren’t using these apps for communicating earlier in the relationship. Switching to these apps later in the relationship is a huge shift in behavior to watch out for.

What’s an even bigger red flag? If they start acting weird about their messaging apps around you.

8. Watch Battery Charging Habits

If your partner’s battery charging habits have changed, it could mean something. For example, they might now charge their phone in another room or downstairs at night, whereas they always kept it on their nightstand before. It could mean they don’t want you to see a text or hear their phone ring when someone calls them.

It’s a small clue to what your partner could be doing behind your back, but it’s worth noticing.

9. Pay Attention to Social Media Clues

Sometimes, little clues can mean something. If your significant other is always liking someone’s social media posts, it could mean that they’re interested in that person. It’s also important to note whether they gain new followers or “friends” who aren’t part of their usual social circle.

You might want to take it one step further and search to see if they’ve been tagged in any photos or posts. You might find out that they celebrated someone’s birthday or were tagged in a work photo where they look a little too close to one of their coworkers (who they may happen to spend a lot of time outside of work).

10. Check Their Google Maps History

Location history can tell you so much about your partner’s behavior. It can tell you their frequently used or saved locations. If there’s a restaurant in there that they’ve never mentioned, it could be a sign that they’re cheating.

And if they’ve taken trips that don’t match what they told you? That’s a huge red flag.

If you’re able to access Google Maps (or whatever app they use to get around), it can be one of the biggest insights into what they’re actually doing.

There Are Usually Multiple Signs of Cheating

The majority of the time, cheaters aren’t caught just because you find a restaurant receipt that proves they weren’t where they claimed to be.

It’s often a series of emotional and physical behavior changes before it gets to that point. And if you’ve noticed one or more signs of cheating, there’s a good chance that your partner isn’t loyal. While we sometimes feel like we need proof, we often know in our gut if someone is having an affair.

Reality Check

If you feel like you have to investigate to catch someone cheating, it might be best to reevaluate the relationship. You deserve a relationship where you don’t have to wonder what they’re doing when you’re not around. You deserve a sense of stability and a feeling of being chosen.

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This post was previously published on medium.com.