Review sites are all over the place on this — figured I'd get straight answers here. Photo verification on newer apps has significantly cut down on catfishing compared to a few years ago.
Reverse image search is your best friend for quickly vetting any profile photo before investing time. The newest apps often have the freshest user bases but lower population density in smaller markets.
Safety practices I always follow:
- Separate email addresses for dating activity is just good basic digital hygiene.
- A VPN helps with general browsing privacy but isn't a complete anonymity solution.
- Video calling before a meet is the fastest way to confirm someone is genuinely who they claim.