Skout Japan Review: I Wanted a Date, I Got Scammed Instead (Guide)

Welcome to the Wild West

I heard rumors about Skout. “It’s easy,” people said. “You can meet anyone.”

So, I tried it. I was looking for “Adult Companionship” (a polite way of saying I was lonely and bored on a Tuesday).

I opened the app. It felt like walking into a crowded Shibuya crossing, but everyone was shouting at me to buy them iTunes cards.

The “Meet” Feature: Chaos

Skout lets you see people “Nearby.” I checked the grid.

Profile 1: A picture of a Ferrari. Name: “RichMan.”
Profile 2: A blurry photo of a cat.
Profile 3: A stunningly beautiful woman who claimed to be 22 but her bio said “I am looking for serious marriage only, send money for flight.”

I messaged the cat. The cat didn’t reply.

The Direct Messages: “Hello Dear”

Then came the messages. My phone vibrated so much I thought it was malfunctioning.

“Hello Dear.”
“Nice to meet you handsome.”
“Do you have WhatsApp?”

I was popular! …Wait.

I realized quickly that I wasn’t chatting with Japanese locals. I was chatting with professional scammers operating from halfway across the world, using Skout’s “Travel” feature to pretend they were in Shinjuku.

The Real Users (They Exist?)

Eventually, I filtered through the noise. I found a real human in Tokyo. We matched.

“Hi,” I said.

“Hey,” she said. “Are you looking for fun?”

“Maybe?” I ventured.

“Okay, meeting is 30,000 yen. Hotel fee separate.”

Ah. It wasn’t a dating app. It was an unlicensed marketplace for transactions I wasn’t trying to make. Skout in Japan is apparently filled with freelancers (pypo) looking for customers.

The Verdict

Skout is messy. It is loud. It is full of noise.

If you want a normal date, go to Pairs or Bumble.

If you want to practice your skills at dodging scammers, Skout is a fantastic training ground.

Final Advice

I deleted Skout after three days. My battery life improved instantly. My faith in humanity took a bit longer to recover.

Unless you enjoy chaos, stay away.

(If you are actually looking for companionship and want to avoid the “Hello Dear” scammers and price negotiations, just use a trusted service like Tokyo Escort OTOME. You get what you book, no surprises.)