Ilaria Rosella Pagliaro Private investigators say emojis are the new secret code for digital affairs. From croissants to eggplants, here’s what might be hiding in plain sight.
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Ever accidentally opened your partner’s emoji keyboard and noticed something… odd? Maybe a French breakfast, a padlock, a flame, an eggplant—yes, that eggplant.
It all feels harmless, even a little funny. But according to several private investigators, these seemingly ordinary emojis are becoming the new secret code of digital affairs.
Paul Jones, an expert at ARF Private Investigators, revealed that in recent months there’s been a surge in cases where infidelity starts—or hides—behind a smiling face, a tiny symbol, or a discreet “visual code.” Forget the note under the windshield wiper; these days lovers send emojis and then quietly archive the chat.
Emojis that look harmless, but mean something else entirely
Jones puts it bluntly:
“It’s as if they’ve invented a private alphabet that the official partner can’t decode.”
There’s no universal cheat sheet. Instead, the meaning comes from repetition, consistency, and always with the same person. Some symbols, when they show up often enough, start to look suspicious.
- A croissant 🥐 or plate of pasta 🍝 might mean a breakfast or dinner invitation (and not to talk business).
- A padlock 🔒 could be an invite to switch to a private or disappearing chat.
- The heart-letter 💌? A nudge to write somewhere else—or later.
- The chili pepper 🌶️ and flame 🔥 speak of flirtation, passion, and cliché desire.
- Then there’s the eggplant 🍆
- Peach 🍑—still riding the wave of innuendo, though often with more cringe than charm.
- Covered eyes 🫣🙈 suggest secrecy, embarrassment, or guilt.
- And the smirking face 😏? The emoji version of “you know what I mean.”
One emoji by itself means nothing. But if you see these among the “most used” icons, especially next to a suspiciously saved contact name (hello, “Jessico Calcetto”), you might have reason to wonder.
How to spot the signs
Aaron Bond, investigator at BondRees, is clear about it: the smartphone is often the first place lies begin. And when suspicious emoji habits are paired with certain behaviors, the truth might be closer than you think.
If your partner never leaves their phone unattended anymore—carrying it into the shower, keeping it face-down, suddenly changing all passwords—that’s one flag.
If they’ve stopped telling you about their day, offering fewer details and longer silences, it might be more than just stress.
Changes in the bedroom can go either way: desire might drop, or spike out of nowhere. Sometimes it’s guilt (“If I sleep with them, I’m not really cheating”) or an attempt to cover tracks. And if they start bringing in brand new ideas they’ve never shown before, no, it’s probably not from a couples’ wellness podcast.
Another clue? Constant criticism. When even a pan left in the sink triggers a war, it might be a way to justify emotional distance—or soothe a guilty conscience.
Is one eggplant emoji enough to end a relationship?
Not exactly. While the eggplant has been crowned the queen of cringe, it’s not conclusive evidence of betrayal. But if certain emojis start appearing frequently—especially in chats that later vanish, at strange hours—and you also notice the other warning signs… well, that’s not paranoia. That’s paying attention.
If something feels off, don’t dismiss it. You’re not “too jealous,” “too sensitive,” or “too emotional.” You’re simply observing. And while we’d all prefer never to read too much into a croissant or a flame, it’s better to be aware these things exist than to discover them when it’s too late.
