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The countdown to Valentine's Day is well and truly on, and for some it brings dinners, drinks and gifts - but for others, a healthy dose of awkward dating app conversations.

Behind all the success stories of meeting 'the one' online, emerges the most awful dating trends - and they're only getting worse.

Amongst the most popular are ghosting, fleabagging and the newest, whelming.

It's when your potential match feels the need to tell you how many other matches they have and just how overwhelming it is being so attractive and popular - yikes.

(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Now when exactly are we likely to be a subject of whelming?

It could just be a slow reply which results in a 'sorry, I'm just talking to so many people I can't keep track' response.

Or, perhaps they get confused or bring up a topic that they definitely haven't mentioned to you, only to come back with, 'that must have been when I was talking to someone else'.

And now you're probably wondering, why would anyone want to come across as such a narcissist?

Well, by giving off this impression that they're inundated with numerous matches, and are therefore, so desirable that you aren't a priority to them, they hope that you'll try harder to win their affection.

(Image: Getty Images)

Hmmm...

Senior health editor at self.com Patia Braithwaite has some tips on how to deal with 'whelming'.

The first time this happened to her, she asked her match a series of quick fire questions.

How frequently are you swiping? Did you know you can control the flow of matches by, uh, swiping right less? Are you unaccustomed to this much attention from interested people?

All of which received rather uninteresting answers.

She believes whelming is the new version of the old fashioned pick-up tactic negging.

It sees people giving backhanded compliments, to throw your confidence off - this is supposed to make you more attracted to them?

So, as soon as your match shows signs of whelming or its ancestor, negging, get rid.