couples

Cheaters share the lies they've told their partners on Valentine's Day.

“Sorry babe, I have a pile of work to catch up on tonight.”

“Cheryl got dumped yesterday, she needs me there pumping Alanis Morissette, stat!”

“My parents’ dog is sick…”

Do any of these found familiar? Apparently working late, hanging out with a heartbroken chum and visiting a sick relative are all high up on the list of lies cheaters tell their unsuspecting partners on Valentine’s Day.

Want some expert romance tips? Osher Gunsberg doles them out on Mamamia’s new podcast ‘Love Life’:

As many as one in four active cheaters will weasel out of their February 14 commitments to spend some extra time with an extra-marital lover, according to a survey conducted by Victoria Milan — a dating site for married and attached people looking to cheat (yes, those exist).

Nearly 6,000 people surveyed from 19 countries ‘fessed up in the online quiz, which found 43% of Australian females and 46% of men questioned had used the ‘working late’ line on Valentine’s Day.

Finishing a report, eh?

The second most effective excuse used by the unfaithful Aussies was telling their significant other they'd been out and about hunting down a secret gift for them. Dastardly.

This little fib was favoured by women over men, with 31% and 21% admitting to having used it, respectively.

The third excuse women are most likely to use is exercise. As in, "just popping out for a jog", is a great cover-all for unaccounted for time AND inexplicable sweatiness.

The top 5 excuses (women vs men) for seeing your lover on Valentine's Day:

I am working overtime 43% 46%

I am meeting a friend who just got dumped 5% 2%

I am buying him/her a secret present 31% 21%

I am visiting a sick family member 7% 11%

I am exercising 14% 20%

If any of the above sounds a little too familiar, you might want to check your partner's Internet history, because Victoria Milan now has more than 5 million members worldwide.

Yikes.