According to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, roughly one-third of U.S. adults use dating apps and websites. But these platforms come with risks: More than half of users have encountered potential scammers, and nearly half have experienced some form of harassment. 

The survey found that 53% of adults under 30 have tried online dating platforms, with 1 in 5 successfully finding long-term partners through these services. However, this increased adoption has been accompanied by growing safety concerns, with 49% of respondents viewing online dating as potentially unsafe. While 42% of Americans say online dating has made finding a long-term partner easier, 88% of current online dating users report feeling disappointed by people they’ve encountered.

Online background-checking services have emerged as a practical tool in this environment. One of these services, TruthFinder, can compile publicly available information, including:

• phone numbers
• address history
• criminal and traffic records
• and social media profiles

Knowing this information can help users make informed decisions about matches and potential dates.

When To Use Background Checks

When conversations move beyond casual chats on a dating app and you’re considering sharing more personal details, it’s time to scrutinize who you’re talking to. TruthFinder can help research essential information about your potential date, including:

• their claimed residence
• age
• marital history
• criminal and traffic records 
• social media profiles that might otherwise be hidden 

Online dating conversations can quickly turn uncomfortable. Pew found that 38% of online dating users report receiving unwanted sexually explicit messages. Safety concerns vary significantly by demographic groups, but women are particularly vulnerable to online harassment. For women under 50 who have used dating platforms, 56% have received unwanted sexually explicit content, while 43% have experienced continued unwanted contact. Men under 50 who use dating platforms are also particularly likely to encounter potential scammers, with 63% reporting such experiences. This contrasts with 47% of men over 50 and 44% of women across all age groups who report similar encounters.

Paid dating platform users often have more positive experiences than non-paying users, with 58% reporting positive experiences versus 50% of nonpaid users. Premium services can afford users more discretion and communication options. Similarly, users who invest in background check services gain access to more comprehensive investigation tools that can ultimately lead to a better online dating experience.

Spotting Red Flags 

Running a background check early in your interactions can save time and emotional energy. While 1 in 10 partnered adults met their significant other through online dating, many users encounter people who aren’t honest about their identity or intentions. More than half of online dating users report encountering potential scammers.

Certain behaviors might suggest it’s time to try to corroborate someone’s background. Watch for potential dates who avoid video calls, tell inconsistent stories, push for personal information too quickly, make requests for money or favors, or show reluctance to meet in public places.

Understanding how to time background checks during the progression of an online relationship can significantly impact their effectiveness. The initial matching phase, when you’re first reviewing potential matches, typically doesn’t warrant a background check. Instead, this early stage might call for basic profile verification and photo authenticity checks through video calls. But as conversations deepen and move toward meeting in person, users might want to take a more thorough approach. Many dating experts recommend verifying someone’s identity before sharing personal contact information or moving conversations off the dating platform.

Using TruthFinder in the pre-meeting phase can give you a means of checking on any concerning information while maintaining appropriate boundaries, particularly if you’ve noticed inconsistencies in someone’s stated background or behavior patterns. Different age groups often prioritize investigating different aspects of one’s identity— younger users might focus more on scrutinizing social media presence and recent history, while older daters might prioritize checking financial and professional backgrounds. 

The threat of scams has become increasingly sophisticated, with CNBC reporting that U.S. consumers lost $1.14 billion to romance scammers in 2023, up from $547 million in 2021. 

TruthFinder can help protect against these scams by compiling basic identity information, showing criminal and traffic records, revealing address history, and finding potentially hard-to-find social media profiles. However, it cannot guarantee someone’s intentions, predict behavior, replace common sense, substitute for getting to know someone, or provide real-time updates about a person’s activities.

The service can organize public records into detailed reports, but it shouldn’t replace other safety practices. It’s always wise to: 

• meet in public places
• tell friends about your plans
• start with video calls
• keep personal information private until trust is established

Modern dating platforms have also introduced features like profile verification and background checks, but these tools work best when combined with traditional safety measures. 
Background checks work best when combined with good judgment and basic safety measures. Remember that TruthFinder compiles publicly available information for personal uses only and cannot be used for credit, tenant, or employee screening. While it can help corroborate someone’s identity and background, it’s still important to trust your instincts and proceed with caution when meeting someone new.

With half of dating app users encountering scammers, learn when to utilize TruthFinder® to verify potential matches’ backgrounds.

According to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, roughly one-third of U.S. adults use dating apps and websites. But these platforms come with risks: More than half of users have encountered potential scammers, and nearly half have experienced some form of harassment. 

The survey found that 53% of adults under 30 have tried online dating platforms, with 1 in 5 successfully finding long-term partners through these services. However, this increased adoption has been accompanied by growing safety concerns, with 49% of respondents viewing online dating as potentially unsafe. While 42% of Americans say online dating has made finding a long-term partner easier, 88% of current online dating users report feeling disappointed by people they’ve encountered.

Online background-checking services have emerged as a practical tool in this environment. One of these services, TruthFinder, can compile publicly available information, including:

• phone numbers
• address history
• criminal and traffic records
• and social media profiles

Knowing this information can help users make informed decisions about matches and potential dates.

When To Use Background Checks

When conversations move beyond casual chats on a dating app and you’re considering sharing more personal details, it’s time to scrutinize who you’re talking to. TruthFinder can help research essential information about your potential date, including:

• their claimed residence
• age
• marital history
• criminal and traffic records 
• social media profiles that might otherwise be hidden 

Online dating conversations can quickly turn uncomfortable. Pew found that 38% of online dating users report receiving unwanted sexually explicit messages. Safety concerns vary significantly by demographic groups, but women are particularly vulnerable to online harassment. For women under 50 who have used dating platforms, 56% have received unwanted sexually explicit content, while 43% have experienced continued unwanted contact. Men under 50 who use dating platforms are also particularly likely to encounter potential scammers, with 63% reporting such experiences. This contrasts with 47% of men over 50 and 44% of women across all age groups who report similar encounters.

Paid dating platform users often have more positive experiences than non-paying users, with 58% reporting positive experiences versus 50% of nonpaid users. Premium services can afford users more discretion and communication options. Similarly, users who invest in background check services gain access to more comprehensive investigation tools that can ultimately lead to a better online dating experience.

Spotting Red Flags 

Running a background check early in your interactions can save time and emotional energy. While 1 in 10 partnered adults met their significant other through online dating, many users encounter people who aren’t honest about their identity or intentions. More than half of online dating users report encountering potential scammers.

Certain behaviors might suggest it’s time to try to corroborate someone’s background. Watch for potential dates who avoid video calls, tell inconsistent stories, push for personal information too quickly, make requests for money or favors, or show reluctance to meet in public places.

Understanding how to time background checks during the progression of an online relationship can significantly impact their effectiveness. The initial matching phase, when you’re first reviewing potential matches, typically doesn’t warrant a background check. Instead, this early stage might call for basic profile verification and photo authenticity checks through video calls. But as conversations deepen and move toward meeting in person, users might want to take a more thorough approach. Many dating experts recommend verifying someone’s identity before sharing personal contact information or moving conversations off the dating platform.

Using TruthFinder in the pre-meeting phase can give you a means of checking on any concerning information while maintaining appropriate boundaries, particularly if you’ve noticed inconsistencies in someone’s stated background or behavior patterns. Different age groups often prioritize investigating different aspects of one’s identity— younger users might focus more on scrutinizing social media presence and recent history, while older daters might prioritize checking financial and professional backgrounds. 

The threat of scams has become increasingly sophisticated, with CNBC reporting that U.S. consumers lost $1.14 billion to romance scammers in 2023, up from $547 million in 2021. 

TruthFinder can help protect against these scams by compiling basic identity information, showing criminal and traffic records, revealing address history, and finding potentially hard-to-find social media profiles. However, it cannot guarantee someone’s intentions, predict behavior, replace common sense, substitute for getting to know someone, or provide real-time updates about a person’s activities.

The service can organize public records into detailed reports, but it shouldn’t replace other safety practices. It’s always wise to: 

• meet in public places
• tell friends about your plans
• start with video calls
• keep personal information private until trust is established

Modern dating platforms have also introduced features like profile verification and background checks, but these tools work best when combined with traditional safety measures. 
Background checks work best when combined with good judgment and basic safety measures. Remember that TruthFinder compiles publicly available information for personal uses only and cannot be used for credit, tenant, or employee screening. While it can help corroborate someone’s identity and background, it’s still important to trust your instincts and proceed with caution when meeting someone new.