SAFETY AND SECURITY IN MATCHMAKING vs. DATING APPS
Have you ever gone out on a date with someone you met through an app and were shocked to see that they didn’t actually look like their profile photos? You’re not alone. The issue with users misrepresenting themselves on apps has become a widespread issue. Deception is easy with dating apps because many sites don’t have thorough vetting or verification systems in place, resulting in uncomfortable (or possibly even dangerous) situations when singles take their connections offline.
Whether it’s being full-on scammed or just feeling misled about someone’s identity, singles can benefit from other ways of meeting people and forming relationships. Matchmaking is one option that can solve these safety and security concerns. Before getting into how and why matchmaking is a safer, more secure dating strategy than the apps, let’s dig into the issues of safety and security that affect app users and how dating service giants like Match Group, Inc. are addressing them.
How many people are affected by dating app safety issues?
The Federal Trade Commission found that in 2022, nearly 70,000 people reported being targeted in a dating app romance scam. Romance scams perpetrated on dating apps also rose significantly in the years since 2017. In 2021, dating app users reported being scammed out of a total of $547 million dollars.
Widows and widowers seeking romantic connection in the new chapter of their lives are more at risk for malicious dating app practices and are likely to fall victim to scams. However, the 18-29 year old age group is no stranger to romance scams, either. The FTC claims that the number of reports from this age group increased more than tenfold from 2017 to 2021.
How are singles reacting to dating app romance scams?
An increasing number of dating app users want and need background checks to ensure protection from romance scams. According to a recent survey report by TransUnion, 85% of women and 87% of men believe that dating platforms should verify user information such as age, recency of photos, and location. The TransUnion survey also showed how many people are seriously considering additional safety measures:
22% of women and 26% of men said they’d be willing to pay for their own background checks
38% of women and 41% of men expressed a willingness to pay for background checks for both themselves and potential dates
More than two thirds of daters would be more likely to make contact if profiles were verified
70% of users were concerned about scams, indicating enhanced demand for trust and safety
If you’ve been on the apps for longer than 24 hours, you’ve probably noticed the proliferation of AI-generated bot profiles, so it’s no surprise that more users want verification processes that can assure them their matches are being honest about their identities.
What are authorities doing about dating app romance scams?
This surge in reports of malicious dating app activity caught the attention of the Federal Trade Commision and it began its own investigations, followed by legal filings intended to get dating app companies to clean up their act. The FTC found that dating app companies have too few safeguards against fraud and deception, and that a lack of proper vetting puts users at risk of deception and fraud.
Back in 2019, the FTC filed a lawsuit alleging that Match Group used fake love interest advertisements to trick hundreds of thousands of consumers into purchasing paid subscriptions on Match.com. The filing also alleges that Match unfairly exposed consumers to the risk of fraud and engaged in other allegedly deceptive and unfair practices
From the filing: “Between 2013 and at least mid-2018, consumers who were considering purchasing a Match.com subscription were generally not aware that as many as 25-30 percent of Match.com members who registered each day were using Match.com to perpetrate scams.”
In 2023, a bipartisan bill proposed in Congress, the Online Dating Safety Act, aims to prevent scams by making it legally necessary for online dating companies like Match Group to let users know if they’ve been in contact with a scam account.
How is matchmaking safer than online dating apps?
Matchmaking is a great filtering system because it automatically excludes those who are not serious about a relationship, which is always a question with online dating apps.
As a matchmaker, I meet all paying clients in person and request updated photos for their profiles, and I reject photos that are outdated or that don’t accurately represent what they look like.
Not only that, when I meet someone in person for an interview I get a sense of their personality and can spot any red flags immediately. Most importantly, I perform a background check on all interviewed clients to ensure that they’re being truthful about the information they provide in the interview. The background check verifies a client’s age, updated photos, location, employment, and income. It can also run a public records check to verify marital status (yes, some people DO have the audacity!) and criminal history.
Ultimately, a matchmaker can catch lies before they become a problem. Working with a matchmaker adds a necessary human element to dating that’s missing from the apps. Matchmaking is about real people meeting, getting to know each other, and being honest about what they’re looking for. A matchmaker can ensure safety and security in vetting matches so you can focus on what’s really important in dating: finding the right chemistry with a partner who shares common interests and values.
