Be Safer While Online Dating

Welp, it’s official.  Online dating is the new norm. With more than 10,000 sites/apps to sign up for and user growth through the roof, we’re all looking for love from our couches while binge watching some noise in the background. Whether we’re trying to find our soulmate, partner in crime, or just trying this whole thing out…. it’s never been so easy find someone else looking for a date.

But what’s the hidden cost of these dates?  Welp, it turns out it’s more than just the first round of drinks anymore.

Stranger danger:  A few years ago, stats revealed that one out of ten profiles online wasn’t real. Also, about 80% of people who have set up dating profiles lie about their height, weight, or age. Okay, and here’s a straight up press release from the FBI warning about money scams.  It’s getting real, guys…. and I’m over it.

The most recent statistic that I read showed that in the UK, there was a 2,000% rise in the number of crimes involving Tinder & Grindr since 2012. And then there was that millionaire who is now doing 17 years for the murder of his online date.  And oh yeah, that awful story about the woman who fell to her death after a Tinder date went tragic.

*sidetrack to something funny*

We might give a friend our dates name and phone number and laugh it off with a “If you don’t hear from me in the morning – call the POPO!”  But we’re not taking this seriously enough.  How would your family feel if they knew that’s how you went at it?   It’s truly a real leap of faith to trust the person we chatted with online before meeting them in real life.

Easy shower thoughts after meeting a new friend on a dating app!

1. New friend is like whoa!  So good!
2. Why doesn’t new friend write back that quick? Are they already in a relationship?
3. New friend won’t send many pics or details more than on profile.  Sigh.
4. Where else is new friend online?
5. New friend keeps postponing.  🙁
6. New friend just wasted allllll my time.  New friend is no friend of mine.

And that’s just a social discomfort because I’m trying to keep this light.  New friend now asks for money.  New friend is a straight up predator.  Or, new friend is just an asshat.

via GIPHY

It’s more important now than ever, to protect yourself by getting digital validation on the person you’re going on a date with. It’s also extremely disheartening to know that things keep getting worse with respect to the bad apples that try to ruin great platforms to meet other likeminded people, but that’s why we’re here.  We’re super sleuths delivering you peace of mind.

Above all, regardless of anything else, love yourself and stay safe my friends. <3