There’s nothing more frustrating than logging into Coffee Meets Bagel and seeing that your account has been frozen. If that’s where you are right now, don’t panic.
While getting back on CMB is a challenge, it’s not impossible. This guide explains why CMB bans users, how to get unbanned, and what you can do to protect your account!
What Are the Reasons for Coffee Meets Bagel Bans?
CMB is a non-Match Group dating app that focuses on genuine dating, and they ban users suspected of being fake, scamming, behaving inappropriately, etc.
When CMB suspects that someone is violating the guidelines, their account may be banned, along with linked phone numbers, device IDs, and even IP addresses.
Other than user reports, some of the most common reasons for CMB bans include:
- Creating fake or misleading profiles (e.g., catfishing or editing your photos)
- Sharing explicit photos, using sexual language, or engaging in harassment
- Promoting or selling services, or adding website/social media links to your bio
- Posting personal contact details like numbers or email addresses in your profile
- Signing up while underage or lying about your age
- Engaging in any illegal activities, including scams, fraud, or solicitation
Sometimes, CMB bans people immediately after signing up or purchasing a subscription, leading us to speculate that CMB’s fraud detection system triggers extra scrutiny when payments are involved.
One of the most frustrating parts is that CMB rarely tells users why they got banned. Often, you’ll get a generic message about “violating terms” without any specifics.
How Coffee Meets Bagel Processes Bans
When your CMB account gets frozen, you’ll typically see a message saying that your account is under review due to potential community guideline violations.
At that point, you can’t log in or use any features on the app. There are two possible scenarios from there.
If CMB thinks your account is fake, they might ask you to upload a selfie video, a photo of your government ID, or even pose in a specific way. Verification can take up to 48 hours. If everything checks out, your account might be restored quickly.
If your account was frozen due to behavior violations, you won’t be able to fix it yourself. The Safety and Trust team needs to review your case, which could take a few days or longer, and the outcome might be either reinstatement or a permanent ban.
How to Return to Coffee Meets Bagel After a Ban
You have to start fresh because CMB works hard to detect banned users. Here’s how to successfully create a new account on Coffee Meets Bagel:
1. Reset your mobile device. CMB tracks your device’s ID, so deleting the app and reinstalling it won’t work. Reset your phone to remove any traces of your old account.
- On iPhone, go to Settings, press Reset, and pick Erase All Content and Settings.
- On Android, search for Factory Data Reset in Settings and follow the steps.
2. Create a new Apple ID or Google account on your new device because your old accounts store data that CMB can use to track you. Don’t restore backups.
3. Install CMB on a different Wi-Fi network since CMB tracks IP addresses. Using the app on the same Wi-Fi network could link your new account back to your old ban, so use a different internet connection, phone data, or restart your home router.
4. Get a new number. This is one of the most critical steps. CMB requires a phone number for account verification, and if you reuse your old one, you’ll be blocked immediately.
Services like DatingZest offer non-VoIP, private phone numbers. Get a DatingZest number, receive the verification code via email, and sign up on CMB.
Avoid numbers from VoIP sources (like Google Voice, Burner, and Hushed) and free SMS sites because they often fail CMB’s phone verification checks.
Can You Appeal a Ban on CMB?
Yes, you can appeal a Coffee Meets Bagel ban, but it’s not a guaranteed fix. In 2023, CMB introduced a formal appeal process for users who believe their accounts were frozen or banned by mistake.
Visit the CMB help center and locate the appeal form, usually called something like “I want to appeal a decision on my profile or content”.
Fill in the form with your account details and provide a clear explanation of why you think the ban was an error.
Submit any evidence you have, like screenshots or details about your interactions.
Important: You can only appeal once for a specific ban, and you must do it within six months of being banned. Even if you appeal, there’s no guarantee CMB will reverse the decision.
If you live in the European Union, you might have an extra option under the Digital Services Act. You can escalate to an external dispute resolution body.
How to Avoid Coffee Meets Bagel Bans
If you want to remain unbanned on Coffee Meets Bagel, you have to avoid the mistakes you made on your old account.
CMB’s detection systems catch suspicious patterns, and some users get banned quickly because they don’t change enough details. Here’s how to stay under the radar and protect your new account:
Use a different payment method. If you upgrade to premium, avoid using your old credit card because CMB might connect the payment info to your old account.
Upload new photos. Reusing old pictures from your banned profile can get you flagged. Choose new, high-quality photos to give your new profile a fresh look.
Avoid mentioning your old details. Don’t reuse your exact bio or link any social media accounts that were connected to your previous CMB profile.
Follow CMB’s community guidelines. Don’t repeat old behavior (whether it was a misunderstood joke or explicit photos). Read the rules carefully and stick to them.
Avoid/block old matches. If someone from your previous account recognizes you, they could report you, and that’s an easy path to another ban.
Should You Verify Your ID on CMB?
CMB has an identity verification feature that lets you prove you’re real by uploading an ID and sometimes a selfie video. Whether you should do it depends on your situation.
* If your account has never been banned and you’re a legit user, verifying can be helpful because it makes your profile more trustworthy and less prone to false reports.
Your matching efficiency may even improve when verified because other Coffee Meets Bagel daters feel safer connecting with someone whose identity has been confirmed.
*However, if you’ve been banned before and are trying to start fresh, verifying is a bad idea because CMB keeps records of identity verification data for up to three years.
How Long Does CMB Retain Data?
Coffee Meets Bagel doesn’t publicly share every detail of their data retention policies, but based on bits of official information, here’s what we know:
- CMB keeps records related to bans, including your ID and phone number, for up to three years (which is longer than Dating App’s 90-day rule).
- If you delete your account voluntarily, CMB may still retain some data temporarily in case you decide to return or for legal reasons.
- Chat messages and profile details from banned accounts often disappear from view, but they’re likely still stored on CMB’s servers for a time.
- Under privacy laws like GDPR or CCPA, you can request to have your data deleted, but doing so might limit your ability to appeal a ban later.
It’s worth noting that simply waiting a few weeks or months after being banned probably won’t be enough. If you plan to reuse your old information, you might have to wait years for CMB’s internal records to expire.
Once you manage to get back, keep your profile honest, respectful, and authentic, and you’ll find the kind of matches you’re hoping for in no time!
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