Credit: Netflx

True crime fascination is growing by the minute on Netflix, but the craze is clearly not limited to just the streamer’s original slate of productions, as evidenced by the surprise rise of the gripping Lifetime thriller, The Dating App Killer: The Monica White Story.

During the week of August 10th to 16th, the 2026 Lifetime movie based on a shocking true story rose through the ranks to the third position on Netflix’s most popular movies chart in the US.

Directed by Elisabeth Röhm, whose Lifetime credits include Husband, Father, Killer: The Alyssa Pladl Story, The Dating App Killer tells the unbelievable true story of Monica White, a divorcee who, in an attempt to return to the dating scene, turns to an online dating app and matches with a seemingly charming man, Anthony Robinson.

Unaware that Robinson is harbouring murderous secrets, Monica meets him in person following their online exchanges. But when Anthony starts exhibiting erratic behaviour, she’s quick to recoil and break off the relationship, only to realise much later that he is responsible for the murders of a string of missing women and is actually the face behind the ‘Shopping Cart Killer’.

While Monica narrowly escaped Robinson’s trap, the fact that it actually happened to a survivor adds a deeply disturbing layer of real-world suspense.

Although The Dating App Killer: The Monica White Story only hit Netflix shelves on August 15th, following its original premiere on Lifetime earlier this year, the crime drama still managed to crack the streamer’s weekly top ten regional chart. And its rapid chart appearance is undoubtedly driven by the Netflix audience’s insatiable appetite for true crime content.

Since the film’s release, netizens have gathered online to discuss the chilling red flags depicted in the movie and Monica White’s real-life interviews, resulting in a flock of curious casual viewers checking the movie out.

The Dating App Killer meticulously captures the psychological dread of witnessing someone unknowingly entertaining a monster, recognising the warning signs just in time, and managing to walk away before it’s too late. And since online dating is so ubiquitous, stories highlighting the dark side of modern romance strike an unfiltered, relatable nerve for the viewers.

Netflix original documentaries such as The Tinder Swindler, Lover, Stalker, Killer, and Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare have already illuminated the dangers and consequences of online dating. And now, the Lifetime thriller is drawing in more true crime enthusiasts to spread awareness.