How Dating Apps are Navigating Through Scams and Frauds

It is safe to say that dating apps have become a huge part of our lives irrespective of whether you are single, divorced or just looking to spice things up a little. With the sea of dating apps launched, people now have the flexibility to meet new people and choose the best match for themselves. However, as many perks as dating apps bring to the table, there could be some equally troublesome downs that both dating apps and their users need to be vigilant about in order to maintain a safe digital dating space for all.

The infinite possibilities of meeting new people, lead to some interesting and unique experiences. Every person is different and although dating apps give you the opportunity to connect with some great people, there could also be times when these platforms could get a little problematic especially since no one knows who the person you matched with behind the screen really is. They may not always be genuine and can mislead the match into scams, fraudulent behaviour and more. It is at this point when the breach of trust not only creates emotional damage to the genuine user but also makes it extremely crucial for dating apps to formulate stricter guidelines and policies along with educating their users to beware of such circumstances.

This is not just limited to dating apps but a not-so-glamorous part and parcel of anything to do with the web. There could be cases of catfishing, fraudulent behaviour, financial scams and more which makes it extremely crucial for dating apps to ensure their user's safety, security and privacy. One such unique and highly discreet dating app for married people - Gleeden understands these safety concerns, especially towards women and has designed some of the safest policies to ensure that everyone is protected from any damaging behaviour. 

Sharing her thoughts on online dating and its security, Sybil Shiddell, country manager for Gleeden, India says, “Designed for married people, Gleeden is aware of our user's safety concerns and makes sure they have complete privacy. Our moderation team is active 24/7 and every profile is investigated thoroughly to make sure that the community is made of 100% real members. Moreover, both male and female users can easily report abuses and misbehaviours with their special safety features like The Discrete Icon option, The Panic Button, Shake to Exit and Private Albums that allows users that extra cushion of safety and discretion.” 

Taking their security to another level, especially for women users, Gleeden allows women to block unsolicited profiles at any time and put them on their private "black lists". They can also report profiles that they repute are fake or misbehaving and can be disruptive to the entire community. “These profiles get thoroughly investigated by our moderation team and banned if reputed to violate the standards of the community. It is because of Gleeden’s continuous efforts in safeguarding its member's privacy, that we have not witnessed a single catfishing incident so far and almost 58% of married women think that Gleeden is much safer than other dating apps.” adds Sybill.

Although dating apps do take strict measures toward the safety of their users, it is only the actual user who can prevent these scams from happening in the first place. Users need to be extra cautious in identifying the red flags and misconduct in any form and immediately unmatch or report the fraudulent user. It is important for users to understand that suspicious behaviour can be revealed suddenly or slowly while conversing with the fraudulent user for a long time. Some common frauds occur when the match is not sharing their personal life details, trying to move the conversation on a different platform, asking to get intimate too early, initiating or asking for monetary transactions, sharing links for NGOs or some other transactions, etc.

And while we do recognise and speak about the need for safety and privacy, in this digital age, the truth is - an individual’s safety lies only and only with them, with or without dating app regulations and policies. Hence, users should be diligent and refrain from sharing their personal contact numbers or meeting anyone without knowing about them. Make your boundaries clear, know when things are escalating too fast into any suspicious behaviour and make sure you report that to the app so other users can be safe and not encounter the same profile. 

After all, it is only with the right identification that these fraudulent activities can be stopped at the base level making the space safer and more authentic for everyone involved.