There has been an explosion of online dating sites in recent years. There are thousands of new platforms appearing every year and it can leave you with a sense of confusion. It’s great there are so many choices to find love and happiness. Unfortunately, there are concerns over safety and whether any dating site can be trusted. It’s understandable. Privacy and security are crucial aspect and some newcomers have given the industry a bad rap. So, can you really trust dating sites, and if so, why?

The Internet Always Carries a Risk

The harsh reality is that any activity online poses a threat to your safety, security, and privacy. Your movements are tracked online, regardless of where you live or how you connect to the internet. Websites store cookies on your browser to monitor your activity so they can advertise. So, while you can technically ‘trust’ a website, there will always be a risk.
For example, a reputable dating platform has over 40-million registered users worldwide. 95% of those users are genuine. Unfortunately, 5% are not. That means around 2-million users pose a risk. In honesty, there will always be fraudsters, scammers, and conmen on the internet – even on a dating website. That doesn’t mean however, you can’t trust the sites you visit. It doesn’t even mean you aren’t safety online either; instead, it means you have to be more cautious about which sites you choose and trust.

Online Dating Sites Can Be Trusted – If You Find the Right Ones

Despite what you might think, dating sites can be trusted. Of course, it really does depend on the site being chosen. For instance, you sign up to a dating platform. You know very little about the site, but it appeals to you, nonetheless. The homepage looks professional, and the monthly subscription costs are good. Unfortunately, the site doesn’t offer any advanced security features. So, while the site is genuine, they lack the ability to root out potential fake profiles from the get-go.

On the other hand, you sign up to an established dating site. You are asked to verify your account via email and are prompted to use a secure form of payment. SSL encryption protocols are used on the site, and there are many advanced security features too. Those are good indications you have a safe and trustworthy site on your hands. Of course, it might not stop every fake profile or scammer, but it’s made harder for them. What’s more, the site is taking active steps to protect its members and that’s usually signals they’re someone you can trust.

Platforms Are Improving

Some dating sites were slack. It has partly been down to the amount of people using the sites and how skilled scammers got. There is very little doubt over how skilled some people are, and how sites have been compromised because of it. Dating sites, however, have listened to those concerns and taken proactive steps to improve security from all points. Many sites have even gone so far to offer safety tips for users while they’re online. That creates a sense of trust in certain dating sites, especially the ones that take member safety seriously.

That really does add trust and while you have to do your own research to fully put faith in a dating site, many have invested in protecting its members.

Reputable Sites Will Verify Your Account

It’s an annoyance when you have to confirm your account to active it – however – it’s actually a smart way to verify your security. More dating sites are employing this method because it helps to block fake profiles and even weed out a few scammers. Some might filter through still, but most won’t be able to. For instance, you use a fake email address. The site requests you to visit your email and click on the confirmation link. This activates your account and until you do this, you can’t use their site. That’s one of the biggest reasons to trust established dating sites that use this method.
It shows the site is going one step further to protect you – and their business – from scammers.

Tips to Find a Trustworthy Dating Site

Dating sites can be trusted – however – it all comes down to the site you use. So, here are a few tips that could help you find a trustworthy dating website.

Research any Site Before You Sign-Up

It doesn’t matter the dating site has been around for 1-week, month, or 10-years, it’s essential to run a few basic background checks. Essentially, you’re looking at the reputation of the site. Their history within the industry and their general feedback. For example, a dating site was created 5-years ago. It’s feedback online is around 95-99% positive. The negative feedback focuses more on success and member response time. In general, the site appears to be trustworthy.
On the other hand, a dating platform has been running for 10-years. The feedback online is overwhelmingly 90% negative, and the comments focus on fake profiles. That might be an indication the site isn’t entirely trustworthy. Doing your homework first, could allow you to find a decent dating website.

Use a Free Membership or Trial to Scope the Site Out

Generally, dating platforms will offer a variety of membership plans and subscriptions, which is useful when deciding if it’s right for you. If there is a free trial option (even a 3-day one,) it could be best to use it to look around the site. This should give you plenty of time to check the site out and whether you like what you see.

Do You Get a Good Feel from the Site?

Let’s be honest, when you feel unsure of a site, it can make you uneasy. It’s not a pleasant feeling, especially when you’re putting so much personal information onto the site. If you don’t get a good feeling from the site, it could be an indication it’s not for you. These simple tips may just allow you to find a trustworthy dating site.

Think Before You Post Online

In all honesty, dating sites can be trustworthy. You can trust established dating site as they’re actively putting barriers in place to keep you safe. Unfortunately, you could unwittingly be the reason why your private data isn’t so private anymore. While you don’t always think before you post something online, it’s time to do so. Any snippet of information you put online could easily be used against you. It isn’t always the fault of the site either, it’s because you didn’t read or think before you posted online.

So, before you reply to any email or create a dating profile, think about the type of information you give out and how it could be used.

Always Read a Site’s Data and Privacy Policies

When you sign up to a website you don’t expect your private information to be sold to a third-party. Unfortunately, some companies will do this, and they can because you’ve agreed to it. There isn’t a trick – you agreed to the privacy policy and terms and conditions. If there is a statement allowing the site to pass your email address on, that’s a problem. Of course, dating sites – especially those that specialize in affairs and casual flings – are upfront about these things. Of course, you need to do your homework on this before you sign up to any site.

Trust the Right Dating Sites

A lot of people ask whether they can trust a dating site, but the answer isn’t as straightforward as they’d like. In truth, there are many dangerous people and sites online, but there are also many safe sites you can trust. Reputable dating sites are becoming more trustworthy by the day because they use the best security tools and safety features to protect you. These sites also actively remove bot and fake accounts. So, there are many positive reasons to trust dating sites. Of course, it comes down to the site you use; however, more dating sites are putting safety measures in place, so you are safe online.