3 Shocking Bumble BFF Horror Stories You Need to Hear

I never thought I would someday have Bumble BFF horror stories to share.

After all, when I first joined Bumble BFF, things were great.

I was getting tons of matches, having great conversations, and even met 3 women in real life who I hung out with multiple times.

For a while, it felt like I had finally found my group—my real, ride-or-die friends.

But one by one, those friendships unraveled.

My once hopeful outlook on Bumble BFF has completely shifted.

What seemed like a great way to meet new friends turned out to be a revolving door of toxic, unstable, and drama-filled connections.

Today, I’m sharing the real, unfiltered truth about my Bumble BFF experience—what went wrong, the red flags I ignored, and the lessons I learned along the way.

If you’re thinking about using Bumble BFF, consider this an honest look at what friendships are really like beyond the brunch dates and picture-perfect Instagram moments.

So, let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of my Bumble BFF journey.

My Initial Success on Bumble BFF

I joined Bumble BFF during a time when I was feeling lonely after my longtime friends moved away, leaving me without local friends to hang out with.

I had heard good things about the app from other women who said they met great friends through it.

As a shy introvert, it seemed like the perfect solution, so I set up my profile and gave it a shot.

I knew exactly what kind of friends I wanted—women who were supportive, creative, honest, fun to be around, and shared similar values.

As a woman of color, I was also especially interested in finding friends who looked like me.

So, I swiped thoughtfully, keeping these things in mind.

Before long, I met up with 3 women in real life.

With each of them, things felt natural—we clicked, vibed on the same wavelength, and had a lot in common.

And since they were all eager to keep hanging out, it really seemed like I was on my way to building strong, lasting friendships.

For a while, I felt optimistic.

But little did I know, each of these friendships would eventually turn into a Bumble BFF horror story.

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My Bumble BFF Horror Stories

Chloe’s Hidden Agenda

Chloe was the 3rd person I met through Bumble BFF, and the first to lead me into a strange situation.

At first, everything seemed great.

We bonded one Saturday morning over brunch, chatting about our shared love for content creation and entrepreneurship.

Chloe, who was new to the area on a remote work program, was excited to make new friends.

As we were leaving the restaurant, we noticed a movie poster by the entrance.

Chloe pointed to it and suggested we go see it the next day.

I was thrilled by how easily we connected, so I said yes.

Our Sunday meetup went well too.

After the movie, we sat in the lobby and had deeper conversations about our pasts, goals, and values.

As we said goodbye, Chloe blushed, looking flustered and excited.

Then she said, “I really like you, Delana!”

Her reaction caught me off guard—not because I didn’t feel the same, but because there was an intensity to it that felt a little… off.

Still, I brushed it off, assuming she was just the open, heart-on-her-sleeve type.

I smiled and told her I liked her too.

Then, with the same excitement, she eagerly asked to meet up again on Monday night.

Feeling a little overwhelmed at the idea of hanging out 3 days in a row, I politely declined and suggested we plan for another time soon.

The Intensity Builds

At first, Chloe’s enthusiasm was endearing—I appreciated how much she enjoyed spending time with me.

But it didn’t take long for it to feel overwhelming.

After I declined our Monday night meetup, she kept texting often and wanted to make plans almost every weekend.

I brushed off any uneasiness and told myself I was lucky to have found such a passionate and dedicated friend.

But as time went on, I started feeling burnt out.

I wasn’t used to this level of intensity in a friendship, and I needed space to recharge.

When I started responding less and turning down plans, I noticed Chloe pulled away, too.

For nearly a month, we barely talked or saw each other.

Then, we decided to go to a music festival together.

When we met up, she casually mentioned that she had made a new friend through Bumble BFF and that they had really hit it off.

She seemed excited about this new friendship, and I was happy for her.

But then, our conversation took an interesting turn.

Chloe began venting about how much she hated men—how she was done with them and wanted a more fulfilling relationship with a woman.

At first, I thought she was just opening up.

But something about the way she spoke made me feel like she was testing my reaction—not just to see if I accepted her as a queer woman, but to gauge whether I’d agree with her views on men or even confess to being bisexual myself.

It was a bit confusing since we had talked about dating men before, and I had even mentioned that I had a husband.

So, I told myself maybe I was overthinking it.

But something about the conversation lingered in the back of my mind.

Fading Connection

Another month passed before we reconnected over brunch.

Chloe shared that she had a passionate, whirlwind romance with the Bumble BFF friend she had mentioned earlier—but things fizzled out, and they broke up.

Now, she wanted to focus on herself, her friendships, and building her business.

I was supportive and cheered her on.

The brunch itself was nice, and everything felt normal.

But as we were leaving, Chloe blushed and got flustered—just like she had after our first meetup.

She told me how much she liked me, how she had almost forgotten how well we got along, and how I was one of the few people who truly got her.

She said she was reevaluating who to keep in her life and knew for sure that I was someone she wanted around forever.

Surprisingly, though, we never saw each other again.

We texted a few more times, tossing out ideas for hangouts that never materialized.

She seemed to lose interest after I declined an invitation to an all-day retreat.

And just like that, Chloe faded out of my life as quickly as she had entered it.

Realization Hits

Looking back, my initial unease about Chloe’s intensity made more sense.

It seemed like she had a pattern of forming intense friendships that quickly evolved into whirlwind romances.

My gut feeling was that she was looking for more than just friendship with me.

When she finally accepted it wasn’t going to happen, it seemed like she moved on, probably repeating the pattern with someone new.

Lesson Learned

My time with Chloe taught me an important lesson: always trust your gut.

If something feels off, it probably is.

Not everyone on friend-making apps is just looking for friends.

I thought I was being careful while swiping and vetting on the app, avoiding anyone who seemed to be seeking romance on Bumble BFF.

But Chloe slipped through without any obvious red flags.

It turns out the app made it easy for her to blur the lines—hiding romantic intentions under the guise of friendship.

This experience was a reminder to trust my instincts and stay aware.

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Maya’s Mask

Maya was the 2nd friend I made on Bumble BFF, a few months after joining the app.

She worked in Human Services and came across as sweet, family-oriented, and a bit sheltered and nerdy.

I found these qualities endearing.

Our first meetup at a coffee shop went great.

I was touched when she insisted on paying for my latte, saying, “I’m really happy you came. This is my thank-you for meeting me and having such a wonderful talk.”

Endless Coffee Dates

Over the next few months, we met up several times—always on Maya’s terms and always at locations near her home.

Whenever I suggested brunch, a comedy show, or something different, she’d find a reason to pass and steer the plans back to one of her favorite coffee shops.

I chalked this up to her busy schedule and assumed she was a cozy, coffee shop-loving type of person, which was fine with me.

Over nearly 2 years, our friendship grew closer through these regular meetups and texts.

I thought Maya seemed trustworthy, easy to talk to, and relatable—qualities that made me hopeful we’d be true besties someday.

A Walk in the Park

Things took an unexpected turn one Saturday in the spring.

Maya suggested we take a walk in the park near her home to enjoy the warmer weather and work on our fitness.

She even asked if I’d be her accountability partner, which I happily agreed to.

That morning, my teenage son asked if he could come along to check out the skatepark.

Since Maya had met him before and enjoyed his company, I figured it wouldn’t be a big deal.

I texted her, “Hey, on my way! BTW, my son’s coming too—he wants to check out the skatepark.”

She never responded.

For a moment, I felt uneasy, but when we arrived, Maya greeted us warmly, acting happy to see us.

My son headed to the skatepark, and Maya and I started our walk.

Still, something felt off.

She seemed a bit irritable, occasionally making snappy, almost sassy comments toward both me and my son.

Her tone wasn’t outright rude, but it had an edge to it that rubbed me the wrong way.

Then, it all made sense when she admitted she was under a lot of stress.

Work was a mess—she was dealing with drama between coworkers and felt stuck in a toxic environment.

But that was just the beginning.

She had lost her car because she couldn’t afford the payments and now had to share one with her mom.

She also couldn’t afford to live on her own, so she was staying at her mother’s house with her brother, his wife, and their children.

Then came the bombshell—she was drowning in gambling debt so severe that her paychecks were about to be garnished.

She was desperately searching for a higher-paying job or even a part-time gig to stay afloat, but she wasn’t having much luck.

I was shocked.

I never expected such a crippling addiction.

On the surface, her life seemed put together—she had a solid corporate job, seemed nerdy and sheltered, and never struck me as someone struggling financially.

She had mentioned liking gambling before, but I assumed it was just an occasional weekend out, nothing more.

I tried to be encouraging, assuring her that she’d find a way through it.

By the end of our walk, she suggested we meet up again the following weekend for another workout or a gym session to keep our fitness accountability going.

I agreed.

A Shocking Text

Shortly after returning home, I received a text from Maya stating, “Actually, I did mind that your son was there. And I know it’s never going to happen because I never want to see you again. I realize this friendship was temporary and is no longer a good fit for my life. I’m blocking you to keep my peace.”

Wow, what just happened?

I was completely blindsided.

We had just spent the afternoon together, had a deep conversation, and ended on what I thought was a high note.

She had opened up to me in ways she never had before, and I actually felt closer to her because of it.

The sudden, harsh tone of her message made it clear she had been holding things in—but why had she never said anything before?

Reflections and Realizations

For nearly 2 years, I believed Maya and I were on the path to becoming real best friends.

However, this abrupt ending didn’t just highlight her issues with communication, honesty, and maturity—it also revealed just how much she had been hiding.

Looking back, it’s obvious now that Maya had been concealing the true extent of her financial struggles.

She always steered our plans toward cheap or free activities within walking distance of her home.

Even though she often insisted on paying for small things, it was clear now that she had no money for brunches, events, or bigger outings.

That’s why she would always decline or find a last-minute excuse to cancel instead of just telling me the truth.

But why end our friendship so suddenly—and in such a cruel way?

Maybe the stress in her life had reached a breaking point, and she was looking for something—anything—to control.

Or maybe, because we met through an app, she never truly saw me as a real friend she could keep in her life long-term.

So the first “mistake” I made became an easy excuse to cut ties and replace me with someone new.

Whatever the reason, the way she chose to end things revealed more than anything else.

If she had been honest about her situation, if she had simply communicated, we could have figured things out.

Instead, she chose to cut me off coldly, as if I had done something unforgivable.

Lesson Learned

This experience was a harsh but important reminder: you never really know someone you meet through an app.

For 2 years, I trusted Maya, believing we were building something real.

But people can hide their true selves—even in close friendships.

Meeting friends on Bumble BFF, it’s easy to assume that shared interests and a great connection mean you truly know someone.

It gives the illusion of closeness.

But trust takes time, people wear masks, and sometimes, they reveal a side of themselves you never saw coming.

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Emma’s Wild Ride

Emma was the 1st friend I met through Bumble BFF, and she eventually became my final horror story from the app.

She had recently divorced her husband—an older man she had married at 18.

Their relationship had been strict, controlling, and abusive, leaving her with no freedom to have friends or experience life on her own terms.

Now, at 35, Emma was determined to make up for lost time.

She wanted to curate a large friend group, experience the city, stay out late, date around—all the things she had missed in her youth.

At first, I admired her enthusiasm.

She was fun, outgoing, adventurous, and supportive.

We bonded quickly, going out for brunches, bars, comedy shows, and all kinds of interesting outings around the city.

Our conversations were open, unfiltered, and filled with laughter.

I really enjoyed my time with Emma—at least in the beginning.

Hookup Confessions

As our friendship grew, so did my concern for Emma.

She started using the dating side of Bumble, eager to date a variety of men and experience her very own hoe phase—something she had heard other women rave about.

She envisioned a glamorous, modern-day Sex and the City lifestyle, but the reality was far from it.

Every hookup she shared with me sounded like a horror story.

Men were mistreating her, disregarding her pleasure, ignoring her boundaries, and sometimes even putting her health and safety at risk.

Still, she brushed it off with a forced, casual attitude.

Her go-to phrase became, “At least I’m having sex!”—as if just doing it was empowering, no matter how bad the experience.

I could tell she wasn’t happy, but she didn’t want to admit it.

She wanted to be the cool, modern, liberated woman who didn’t regret anything.

Wanting to support her but also encourage her to value herself more, I gently pointed out that while she was having sex, it didn’t seem to be good or enjoyable for her.

Her smile faded for a moment, and she hesitated before responding, “Yeah… you’re right.”

But from then on, something between us shifted.

Growing Rift

After that conversation, I started noticing a pattern.

Emma became more critical of me, subtly looking down on anything she perceived as judgmental or close-minded.

If I shared a personal experience that didn’t align with her worldview, she would dismiss it, sometimes even implying I was being ignorant or intolerant.

The irony was that she spoke as though she had all the answers—despite having far less real-world experience with many of the issues we discussed.

It felt like she was more invested in sounding progressive than actually understanding different perspectives.

At the same time, she contradicted herself constantly.

She would talk about female empowerment but then argue that women needed to be more accommodating to men’s struggles—making sex easier for them, being more forgiving, or avoiding being “too harsh” when holding them accountable.

It was frustrating.

I started to feel like she wasn’t really engaging in conversations with me—she was just waiting for an opportunity to prove how much more open-minded she was.

Still, because these moments didn’t happen all the time and we mostly had fun together, I let them slide.

But then came the turning point.

The Breaking Point

One night, Emma invited me to an all-night bar hop and hotel stay with some new Bumble BFF friends she had just met.

I didn’t feel comfortable with the idea.

Staying out all night partying with strangers and then crashing in a hotel room with them?

It just wasn’t my scene.

So I politely declined.

She went without me, and—unsurprisingly—some drama happened that night.

One of the women became belligerent, started fights, stole from the group, and ended up getting sick on the hotel floor.

Emma, however, bonded with one of the other women from that night, and almost instantly, she became her new wild bestie—the one she went out with, posted selfies with, and who seemed to fully encourage, and even participate in, all of her reckless choices.

It didn’t take long for our friendship to start fading.

Our texts became fewer, our meetups became rarer, and eventually, we just stopped reaching out to each other.

Reflection and Lesson Learned

After experiencing these Bumble BFF horror stories, I came to realize the app isn’t the friend-making miracle I once hoped for.

Truthfully, it feels a lot like its dating counterpart—filled with people who aren’t always there for the right reasons.

Some are just battling boredom, looking for an ego boost, or even searching for romance and sex under the guise of friendship.

And while you can try your best to read between the lines of short bios and brief text exchanges, the reality is that people put their best foot forward at first.

Their true selves—their motives, their flaws, their red flags—only surface over time.

That’s what makes Bumble BFF feel just as exhausting as a dating app.

Maybe finding real, lasting friendships there is just as rare as finding true love on an app.

And honestly? I’m starting to wonder if it’s even worth the effort.

At this point, I think I’d rather invest my time into making friends in more natural, organic ways.

That said, if you’re still interested in trying Bumble BFF for yourself, I do have a guide on navigating the app and avoiding some of the pitfalls I ran into. 18 Bumble BFF Tips.

But as for me? I think I’m done.

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