Online dating safety is of the highest importance regarding digital privacy. In the modern digital age, searching for relationships on a dating app or through social media. However, due to anonymity online, you cannot be sure about the offline identity of your online partner behind the screen. You may even ask yourself, how do I know if the person I am talking to online is real? We've collected trustworthy tips on verifying the identity of your new loved one, as well as the dos and don'ts of online dating.
Is Online Dating Safe?
Unfortunately, the quick answer is no. Fraudsters use dating apps to find new victims and get their money or sensitive information. So, what are some risks of online dating? Consider the following threats that can arise if you date on the Internet:
- You Can Meet Scammers. They may pretend to be genuine people who try to build relationships with you. Still, the criminals are waiting for the opportunity to scam you.
- Someone Can Be Catfishing You. A person on a dating app can pretend to be someone they are not to manipulate you. They can use AI-generated photos of other people, conjure up fake life stories, and lie about their real name or age.
- You Can Suffer From Phishing. Links shared through dating apps or chats can lead to phishing sites wired to steal your personal information. This data can then be used to steal your identity, access your bank accounts, or commit fraud.
- Someone Can Send You Malware. Scammers can send you files, photos, or links that compromise the safety of your device. For example, they can steal and sell your data, spy on you, lock the device, and demand ransom.
- Someone Can Stalk You. Are online relationships safe? In general, no. Suppose you tell too much about your personal info, lifestyle, and location online. In that case, it will be easier for ill-intended people to find you. That's why it is important to stay cautious on the Internet and apply online dating safety tips to protect yourself from people who show you unwanted attention.
The Latest Online Dating Safety Statistics
According to the 2023 data collected by the Pew Research Center on online dating safety statistics in the US, three out of ten people use dating apps. However, the public opinion is split on whether meeting new partners online is safe. 49% of surveyed people, especially women, say that dating on the Internet is not safe. Here are some vital statistics to take into account before you make up your mind on whether online dating is secure:
- In 2021, the Federal Trade Commission reported that victims lost over $1.3 billion in the past 5 years. More than a third of victims were first approached by scammers on social media.
- According to the FBI, romance scams are in the top three regarding the highest losses due to fraud.
- According to the findings by Lloyds Banking Group, the average sum stolen was £6,937. Moreover, romance scams are on the rise, occurring 22% more often in 2024 than in 2023.
How Do I Know If the Person I Am Talking to Online Is Real?
Since the threat level is high, you should be prepared with valuable methods and instruments to help verify someone's identity. Use these online dating safety tips to expose scammers and be sure you are building relationships with a real person:
1. Study the Profile
The first tip for online dating safety is to closely investigate a dating app or the social media profile of a person you are communicating with. Here are some major red flags that this user is a romance scammer or otherwise someone with ill intentions:
- The account might be fake if the profile pictures are glamorous and professional or appear to have been taken from modeling portfolios. Scammers typically steal stock photos or generate pictures with AI to lure the victims. Otherwise, beware if the images are poor quality and seem edited. In other cases, be cautious if the background is blurry, since it can indicate that the picture was AI-generated. Also, always carefully examine photo details like fingers and ears, since AI often messes up these features.
- Profiles with minimal information, generic descriptions, or lacking hobbies and interests are suspicious.
- If it's a social media profile, having few friends or followers or no interaction on posts could indicate that it's newly created or fake.
- Scam profiles may frequently change usernames, photos, or personal details to avoid being caught.
- Look for the inconsistencies between the profile details and the stories they tell you.
2. Use X-Ray Contact
Look up a person with a digital data aggregator to increase your online dating safety. This instrument has 33+ providers to create a comprehensive report about the person's digital footprint. It would help if you had any cue about the person's identity, such as a name, a phone number, a username, an email address, a photo, or a link to social media. The X-Ray Contact will process this data and look for the matches. If the search is successful, you can get helpful findings about the target such as their real name, location, employment, connections, etc. Now, you can compare this data with what they have told you before to spot inconsistencies and lies.
3. Reverse Image Search With TinEye
If you have doubts about whether a person is using their real photos on social media or on a dating app, reverse image search their pics with TinEye. After you upload the image on the platform, its algorithm will look for other places where the photo is posted online. Suppose the same photo is found on multiple unrelated websites, such as modeling portfolios, stock photo databases, or other social media profiles. In that case, there's a high likelihood that someone has stolen it to catfish you.
4. Use HUMINT
Pay attention to these HUMINT cues the person you are talking to on a dating app is not trustworthy:
- It is suspicious if they claim to have built a deep connection with you over a short period. So-called "love bombing" with attention and affirmation is a common tactic romance scammers use to fool the victim. One of the leading online dating safety tips is to stay on guard all the time and not trust people online unless you have tangible receipts and proof of their words that have been fact-checked.
- One of the most significant indicators of a scam is when the person asks for money, even for a seemingly innocent reason, such as a medical emergency.
- This is a major red flag if someone consistently avoids video calls or phone conversations. Moreover, it is highly suspicious if they always have an excuse not to meet in person.
- Scammers will often try to pressure you into taking quick action. One important online dating safety advice is to beware of people who rush relationships and create a sense of urgency.
- Ask questions to reveal whether their story is consistent. Pay attention to locations, people, or a job they mention, and double-check their words. For example, if they claim it was raining in London, look up whether their claims are correct on the weather sites.
5. Investigate With Telegago
One of the online dating safety tips is to use a specialized Telegram search engine to help you locate profiles in this messenger. If you know that a person is active on Telegram, Telegago can help you track down their posts and messages in group chats and channels. You just have to insert any info you know about a Telegram account, such as an ID, phone number, or username, and manually scroll through the results.
How Can I Be Safe on Internet Dating?
This online dating safety guide aims to help you look up suspicious people and protect your privacy from scammers. Read these answers to the most common questions about securing your online activity.
What Can I Do To Boost My Online Safety?
Follow these simple rules for all your social media and other apps:
- Always enable two-factor authentication.
- Choose strong passwords, and don’t reuse them.
- Often change your passwords.
- Customize your social media and dating apps settings to protect yourself from being stalked. Limit the visibility of your posts, phone number, etc.
- Don’t reveal personal information such as full name, location, or phone number online.
- Don’t post photos or screenshots that reveal identifiable info about you or your location. For example, images where it is possible to spot landmarks nearby, street names, or your documents. Avoid posting online about your routine, such as places you often visit or where you like jogging at a specific time.
Should I Use My Real Name on Dating Sites?
Using a made-up name to protect yourself and boost your online dating safety.is better. People can quickly look you up if they know your real name, especially if you decide to use a full name. Therefore, if you care about your privacy, using only your first name or an alias on the Internet is better.
Should I Give My Email Address?
So, is it safe to give someone your email address on a dating site? It is best to conceal the email you use for personal or work-related matters. Create a separate email address for your dating site profile to enhance privacy. Also, on iPhone, you can use the "Hide My Email" function to disguise your personal email address.
Is Incognito Mode Useful?
Yes, it can boost your safety online. Once you close the incognito window, your browser won't save your browsing history, cookies, or site data. You won't remain logged into accounts unless you sign in during the session.
Conclusion: Stay Safe in Online Dating With Molfar
Apply these safety tips for online dating to safeguard yourself from all the possible scam scenarios. You can also order a Human report investigation from Molfar so that professional researchers can handle the search for you. It is the easiest and the most trustworthy way to protect yourself from fraud and expose the real identities of the scammers.
