For decades, the world has been shifting more and more digitally. In 2021, this process has significantly accelerated, and in 2022 it is unlikely to change.
So the ever-growing popularity of online dating services seems quite logical. The circle of users of dating applications such as Tinder, Badoo, Zoosk, and the like continues to expand. Check the freeappsforme suggestions concerning the best free dating apps.
Today, let’s talk about how to use dating apps safely without reducing your chances of meeting “the one” or “that one.”
How to make your Tinder profile safe and private
Your Tinder profile (it’s generally true for other similar apps as well) should contain only three things.
- Your photos. Use your real photos, but make sure they don’t include things you don’t want anyone else to know – your address, where you work, etc. Choose photos from your travels or with some sights in the background, without your personal information and other people in the frame. Remember that photos can be used to find your social networking pages. So firstly, try to choose images that you haven’t posted anywhere else, and secondly, don’t forget about the correct privacy settings in the social networks themselves.
- Your name. You can use a pseudonym or your real name, but you definitely shouldn’t use your last name and patronymic. A nickname or pseudonym adds privacy, but it can be awkward when communicating.
- Your interests. If you’re looking for a serious relationship, mention at least a few interests and hobbies – they might be important to potential partners.
What not to do
There are things you can tell in dating apps that you shouldn’t. Here, for example, are some things you’d rather not do:
- Don’t link your Instagram (or other social networks) to your profile on the dating app. Otherwise, potential attackers will get too much information about you and can use it to your detriment. Even if you’ve set the right security and privacy settings on Instagram.
- Don’t post your phone number and contacts on messenger services. Dating services strongly recommend using only their built-in chats – and it’s not bad advice, at least until you start trusting your interlocutor. And when you’re ready to switch to Telegram or another app, remember to make sure it, too, is set up to protect your personal information.
How to communicate safely on Tinder
Let’s say you like someone – it’s time to chat with that person. Take the time to give out your life story in great detail. And it’s not just because you can scare the interlocutor too frank. Before you talk about something, imagine that you told it to the whole world, and now everyone you meet knows about it. If you’re not ready for that, don’t rush to share.
Remember that you are talking to a stranger. He or she may be the love of your life or a rather dubious person. So you should consider the risk of doxing and stalking. Being honest with the wrong people can lead to something like this. So, again, don’t be too quick to share personal information.
Your interlocutor may really be as kind and understanding as he seems in online communication. But he may also turn out to be a con artist pretending to be someone else. These people will usually try to gain your trust first and then ask for money or personal information. Asking for money or gifts on dating apps is probably not just a red flag, but a whole bell! It doesn’t matter what reason is given or what amount is needed. If they ask you for money, stop the conversation. The chances that you are being told the truth are negligible.
Scammers may also try to get your personal information. If the person asks you to install an application on your phone or enter a site, you should be wary. Questions about your favorite teacher or your first pet should also be suspicious (many websites use such questions to reset passwords). What are your risks? The app might be malicious, the site might be phishing, and information about your teachers and pets could help steal your money or credentials.
By the way, it’s better to be safe and have a good security solution that automatically checks for web pages and new applications.
You can also find bot accounts in the vastness of dating services. Bots pursue the same goal as scammers: to extort money or data from you. However, their messages are generated automatically. If the correspondence seems strange to you, the interlocutor responds at random, then you are probably talking to a bot — and it is better to stop communicating.
Keep a low profile on Tinder
Let’s add a couple more tips that will come in especially handy for those who have already found a partner using Tinder and are dating him. Most of these services hide your profile after a certain period of inactivity. But it is better not to wait, but to hide it manually – at least so that your new partner does not think that you are still in search. Well, in general, it is better to hide information about you, which right now does not have to be public.
The following advice is also applicable at earlier stages: you can set up a profile so that it is seen only by those to whom you have put likes, and not by everyone. This way you will significantly reduce the likelihood that your personal data will fall into the wrong hands.
