Researchers say the results show that people are forever optimistic when it comes to online dating: whilst a majority believing others also lie when writing online profiles, when comes to actually reading about potential dates, they are far more likely to believe what they are reading is true.

Greg Hodge, managing director of BeautifulPeople.com, a dating community exclusively for good-looking people, said: "The online dating industry is a minefield of people misrepresenting themselves.

"You arrange a date with a pretty young woman with a "slim build" and when you meet her it's like she's sent her fat older sister. Trust is broken on the first – and last – date."

Pretending to work in healthcare, finance and the film industry were the top three lied-about professions for men, whilst creating jobs in entertainment, marketing and finance were top for women.

There was also a difference between countries, with over 53 per cent of Americans admitting to lying about their appearance compared to just 44 per cent of Britons.

Mr Hodge went on: "American society is more obsessed with appearance and stature than the British so it makes sense that they would embellish the truth.

"What doesn't make sense is that British online daters are more honest – they have much more to lie about, being amongst the least attractive people in the world."

But in a sign that with age comes acceptance, on both sides of the Atlantic, the older people got, the less likely they were to be untruthful about their appearance and how much they earned.

Mr Hodge added: "People need to know what they are getting. Nobody wants to trawl through a gallery of nightmares making out they're Megan Fox when they look like Mrs Doubtfire.

"Our members are selected by their peers, and we're the only dating website with an authenticity app that verifies members look as they have represented themselves in their photos.

"This increases safety and vastly improves the user experience. I defy any other site to have members who are as true to their profiles as ours."

The top ten lies told by men:

1. Job (better than it is)

2. Height (taller)

3. Weight (losing or gaining a few pounds)

4. Physique (athletic)

5. Money

6. More senior than they really are at work

7. Interesting profession

8. Knowing celebrities

9. Having a PA

10. Working in the film industry

Top ten lies told by women:

1. Weight (losing a few pounds)

2. Age (losing a few years)

3. Physique (toned)

4. Height

5. Money

6. Bust (gaining proportions)

7. Glamorous profession

8. Knowing celebrities

9. Having a PA

10. Working in entertainment