Several online dating tips that you need to keep in mind

More than 40% of Americans use online dating apps or dating sites. Whether online or offline, it's wise to keep some safety precautions in mind when you meet new people. Many dating apps online claim to perform background checks on their users, but virtually no app does so. So when you decide to meet someone online, make sure they won't hurt you. The most important thing to remember is that it's not your fault if you've had some bad experiences online dating.

To help people who use casual dating apps like Tinder dating app have a better experience, be vigilant and keep yourself safe when you interact with other people online. Of course, the following suggestions are only combined with other people's experience of using dating app, and can not completely ensure your safety, but it can make you face online dating correctly.

Connecting online

If you don't want your friends or acquaintances to know you're using a dating app for fun, then you need to use a different picture. A photo search via Google these days can easily find a person's Instagram and Facebook accounts. Especially if they use the same photo. Likewise, you can also use image search to find other people's profiles. When you find that this person's account has a photo, and there is no information. And then you have to be careful, this person is likely to be a fake account.

Block and report suspicious users. If you think other users' profiles are suspicious, or if their behavior offends you, you can report them. Most dating apps online have no restrictions on reporting and blocking. So, once you encounter a user who makes you feel uncomfortable, stop communicating with him immediately and report him. Online communication is the same as interpersonal communication, you have to trust your intuition.

We interviewed 200 people who have used different top dating apps to gather some common stories or suspicious behavior. Most scammers are likely to use these behaviors to build trust and empathy to manipulate other users. The most common is to ask for financial help, and the possible reasons are like:

Recently moved to a new city. Divorced and raising children on your own. When faced with your questions, there is always no way to give a clear answer. Personal information, or your phone number, other social accounts are very curious and lead you to communicate outside of dating apps. Use incoherent words or bad grammar when communicating, but claim to be highly educated.

Don't share your information freely. Do not share your personal information with people who have only been communicating online for a few days, including your credit card information, business address, and home address. Always remember that all these great dating apps and websites will never email you asking for your personal information, so if someone asks you for this private information, report them immediately.

Do not respond to someone else's financial aid request. No matter how convincing the person's reasons may seem, never agree to send money to the other person, either way. If you do receive such a request in an online communication, please report it immediately to the application or website you are using.

Meeting offline

Video chat before meeting. Once you've found a potential date and have been in touch for a long time, consider having a video chat with him before meeting for the first time. This is a great way to help make sure that your partner is who they claim to be in the profile. If they're always making excuses for delaying or vehemently rejecting video calls, it's very suspicious.

Tell a reliable friend where your date is. When you've settled on a date and place, tell at least one of your trusted friends. Remember to text your friends if you're going to change dates midway through. If you encounter anything suspicious on a date, tell your friends first and ask for help.

Choose to meet in public. On the first date, avoid meeting in your home, apartment, or secluded place. Cafes, restaurants or bars, any place with a lot of people around are good options. And choosing a place you are familiar with will make you feel more secure and comfortable.