I’m a sexy ‘love rat’ investigator — how to know if your mate cheats

A “love rat” sleuth hired by women to test their man’s loyalty has exposed 1,000 cheaters since she first began her services. For $30 a pop, she uses various social media accounts and phone numbers to hunt down unfaithful boyfriends.

Inspired by the retro TV show “Cheaters,” Madeline Smith decided she could message men whose partners think are unfaithful. Then, the 30-year-old waits to see if they’ll fall into her “honey” trap.

“There are so many types of guys, and I know exactly how to play each one — smart guys, dumb guys, suspicious guys,” said Smith, who regularly posts about her busts on TikTok, where she’s racked up more than 87,000 followers and 1.5 million likes.

“I feel so much of it is intuitive,” she added. “I can look at a profile and immediately know [a guy’s] personality.”

Dubious women will reach out to Smith for her services via an online form, complete with any relevant information to their case — and guidance on just how persistent Smith needs to be.

“It’s kind of crazy how it evolved,” she told South West News Service of her now full-time gig, which began when other women would ask her to message their men. “In 2018, I properly formed the loyalty test. With all the experience I’ve had over the years, I decided to come up with a game plan and system.”

While some men falter right away, others require more coaxing, and she’s even gone as far as sending raunchy snaps to bait the cheaters. Rarely, some of the men seem dangerous enough that Smith encourages the concerned women to get legal aid.

“It could take five minutes to get through to them — or two days,” she said. “I see if they take the bait, and then I will tell the girl and see what they want. For some, just replying is enough to prove their infidelity.”

Recently, she investigated a client’s boyfriend who was “very suspicious,” she said. While he “didn’t give a lot back,” he “ultimately failed” Smith’s loyalty test.

“He liked the attention and was smart, and I ended up using maths with him, and he directed me towards Snapchat,” she said. “I did sexting and videos with him. I would ask questions such as, ‘Do you want the circumference or the diameter?’ It turned into a teacher-student dynamic.”

Typically, the women who reach out to Smith have a “gut feeling” that their man is unfaithful — despite many having been with their partners for a year or two. While the women “can’t explain” the feeling, that womanly instinct doesn’t come from out of the blue, Smith said. Oftentimes, there’s “been some kind of incident before.”

“It could be he cheated on her in the first six months, and he won’t let the girl see his phone,” she continued. “And there are always Snapchat notifications — it’s always Snapchat.”

Other than using Snapchat, Smith said the tell-tale signs of a cheater include hiding their passcodes or notifications and acting jealous and accusing his partner of being unfaithful.

Smith estimates that 80% of the men she is asked to investigate have cheated before, and many are even men who have spouses and children.

“One client’s husband spent so much money on hookers and hotels and racked up debt on a credit card with cam girls,” she recalled, adding that she has a legal team who helps her navigate her risky business. “She asked me to help prove he was still doing it, so she could take half the money back.”

Girls are always “made out to be crazy” because of their doubts, or are assumed to be the “disloyal partner,” but Smith rejects those stereotypes.

“Most women always feel sad or mad coming to me, and I reassure them it’s perfectly acceptable for them to need answers about where they’re investing their love and life,” she said.

With 1,000 cases already closed, she racks up the clientele with her reputation. She charges a $30 base rate for her services, although she increases the price if the particular situation needs more effort.

“I’m not looking to put my hand in anyone’s bank account. Most girls are very cognizant of time, and we work with each other as we go,” she said. “Depending on the financial situation of my girl, I can bend at times.”

But she’s not always the bearer of bad news. Sometimes, the men pass the loyalty test —much to their partner’s delight.

“My favorite thing is to get blocked. The guys who pass will say I have a wife, girlfriend or fiancée and she wouldn’t like this,” said Smith. “The best thing is when they say ‘thank you for reaching out’ and block me.”