Review sites are all over the place on this — figured I'd get straight answers here. Niche international platforms for specific countries tend to have more authentic user bases than general ones.
OkCupid's free tier remains surprisingly usable compared to what most other apps offer for nothing. Video calling before a meet is the fastest way to confirm someone is genuinely who they claim.
Safety practices I always follow:
- Reverse image search is your best friend for quickly vetting any profile photo before investing time.
- Payment requests from any match should always be treated as a scam regardless of the story.
- Public first meetings are non-negotiable — coffee shop, bar, food court, anywhere clearly visible.