At least forty million American residents use online dating applications or services. It is wise to keep a couple of safety precautions in mind when meeting new people, whether offline or online. These applications do not conduct criminal background checks on their users, so it is up to individuals to find out if they are comfortable meeting with other people.
But it is very important to remember that if people experience sexual violence or assault when dating on the Internet or through an application, it is not their fault. Listed below are steps people can take to help them increase their safety when interacting with other individuals through Internet dating services and applications – whether they are interacting in person or virtually. Like any safety precaution tips, these things are not guaranteed, but they may help individuals feel more secure.
To know more about the history of online dating, click here for details.
When connecting to the Internet
Individuals can use various pictures for their profiles. It is a lot easier to do reverse image searches using Google. Suppose the person’s dating profile has a picture that also shows up on their social media accounts like Facebook or Instagram. In that case, it will be a lot easier for other individuals to find them on social media.
People should always avoid connecting with unverified or suspicious profiles
If the individual app users matched with has no linked social media accounts or bio and has only one picture posted on it, there is a good chance that it is a fake account. It is vital to use caution if users choose to connect with people they have so little info about.
Users need to check out their possible dates on social media platforms. If they know their match handles or name on these websites – or better yet, if they have mutual friends on the Internet – they can check them up and make sure they are not catfishing them by using fake social media handles or accounts created their profile.
Check out https://esqwire.com/what-every-business-should-know-about-social-media-handles-and-handle-acquisition/ to find out more about social media handles.
Report and block suspicious users
Users can report and block another individual on the platform or application if they feel their profile has too many red flags on it or if they have acted inappropriately towards them. It can usually be done anonymously before or even after they have matched.
As with personal interactions, it is always possible for individuals to misrepresent themselves – whether truthfully or not. Listed below are some examples of suspicious behaviors or common stories scammers may use to build sympathy and trust so they can manipulate other users in unhealthy ways.
- They are asking for financial assistance, one way or another, usually because of an emergency personal crisis
- They claim to be from the country, but are currently working, traveling, or living outside the United States
- They claim to be recently widowed with kids
- Scammers usually disappear suddenly from the website and reappear under various names
- Provides vague answers to certain inquiries or questions
- Scammers overly compliment their victims or want to be romantic too early in the communication
- They pressure their victims to provide them with phone numbers. They also want to talk with their victims outside the dating application or website
- Requests the victim’s work or home address under the guise of sending gifts or flowers
- They tell grandiose or inconsistent stories
- Use disjointed grammar and language, but has high levels of education
Wait to share vital personal info
Individuals in dating apps or sites like The Dirty should not give strangers, their personal info, including their social security number, bank info, credit card details, The Dirty details, or home or work address. Dating applications and sites will never send them emails asking for their username and password, so if they receive any requests for their login info, they need to delete it immediately and consider reporting it.
Do not respond to requests for any financial help
No matter how compelling, convincing, or good someone’s reason may sound, individuals should never respond to requests to send funds, especially outside the country or through wire transfers. If they do get these types of requests, they need to report it to the website or the application they are using as soon as possible. For more details, people can check out the United States Federal Trade Commission for tips and tricks for avoiding Internet dating scams.
