Engineer spends 30 hours a week on dating apps but is still single

• Damon Birch, from Leicester, admits he is ‘addicted’ to multiple dating apps 
• READ MORE: What happened on the date so bad she cried on the way home? 

An engineer who spends more than 30 hours a week looking for love has said the reason he is yet to find a relationship is because there are ‘too many scammers’ on apps.

Divorced Damon Birch, from Leicester, regularly spends up to four hours a day on apps and websites in the hopes of finding a new girlfriend.

The 52-year-old, who is a project engineer by trade but is currently between jobs, admitted that he is ‘addicted’ to the sites and even swipes on apps while on the loo.

Despite putting in hours, Damon has not been successful at finding someone and says the reason is because of scammers and people who catfish others.

He said: ‘I think my bad luck is down to a lot of scammers. There are so many I’ve started to back away from it.

Damon Birch, from Leicester, regularly spends up to four hours a day on apps and websites in the hopes of finding a new girlfriend

Damon believes the reason he is single is because there are too many scammers and people who catfish others on dating websites

‘It makes you really suspicious of people. I keep them engaged. I had one who wanted to meet up but kept asking for me to send her money.

‘Another sent absolutely gorgeous photos but I did a photo search on Google and found out she was using a photo of an American porn star.

‘They say there is someone out there for everyone. You think you’re chatting to a gorgeous girl and they are a bloke from Ukraine.’

Online chats that have progressed to meeing in person have been no better, with Damon describing them as ‘disastrous’, adding that one girl broke her nose during their short time together.

‘It was a busy pub. She tripped on the first flight (of stairs) going to the toilet. We weren’t even hammered.

‘A friend took me into the toilets. She was absolutely covered in blood. The bouncers looked after her. I wanted to go in the ambulance, but she said no.

‘I asked if she was ok and said: “Shall we meet up again?”. She said that was probably a bad idea.’

‘The other dates said: “We’ve had a nice afternoon but I don’t think it will work out”.’

Damon is no stranger to online dating, having met his ex-wife on the social media site called Friends Reunited.

Damon said the lockdown put a strain on their relationship, eventually leading to them calling it quits in 2022 after 12 years together.

The 52-year-old, who is a project engineer by trade but is currently between jobs, admitted that he is ‘addicted’ to the sites and would even swipe on apps while on the loo

Damon said he is looking for people who like socialising, going for meals and travelling

He took to the dating apps again to combat his shyness. He said: ‘I wasn’t overly self-confident. Going up to strangers was a bit daunting.

‘I’m addicted [to the apps]. When I was working I’d go to the loo and sit and swipe. Sometimes it’s just boredom. I’ve got more self-confidence now.’

Damon is still hoping his time on the apps will help him find love again – and is currently splitting half his time on them and looking for a job.

He said: ‘I want someone who likes socialising, going for meals and walks and travelling – that’s a big thing for me. I’m reliable, local and I think I’m quite funny.’

The engineer said he joined some community groups for single people where he has met others in similar situations.

‘I’m in a couple of single people community groups. We go for a few beers through an app called Meetup,’ he said.

‘I’ve met some nice people. It’s not for dating. It’s more for getting out and meeting new people. My friends around me are settled with kids.’

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