Online platforms have completely transformed the dating scene. According to a 2019 Pew Research Center report, 30% of U.S. adults have used a dating app in their lifetime. On top of that, 10% of adults currently in a relationship reportedly met their significant other on a dating platform. It has become a rite of passage to use a dating app to look for romantic or sexual connections. Alongside the rise of dating platforms is the evolution of cybercrime. Another Pew Research report from 2023 found that almost half of Americans on dating platforms have come across a scammer. In this digital age, you need to stay vigilant and informed of online scams no matter what platform you are using. That’s why we evaluated the most popular dating platforms based on how they approach user safety and respond to scam-like activity. Continue reading to learn all about the safety of the leading dating platforms.
Match Group Dating Apps: What Users Should Know About Safety
Match Group is a conglomerate of Match.com and other dating sites that the company acquired. Several of the leading dating platforms today are owned by the parent company, such as Tinder, Match.com, and Hinge. Because of this, these apps tend to share similar approaches to user safety and security. However, while some features may overlap, each app has its own risk factors, audiences, and unique features that set them apart.
Tinder
Tinder is one of the most popular dating platforms, with over 60 million monthly active users in 2024. As expected, many of those users are bad actors that look to exploit users with scams. Tinder has responded to the number of scams with certain tools and practices to promote safety.
Tinder’s safety and policy center states that the platform uses automated and manual moderators, systems, and processes. The platform also utilizes automatic scans of profiles and red flag language. There is a zero-tolerance policy for abusive behavior of any kind, and a dedicated fraud team assesses user-generated reports.
Concerns about Safety on Tinder
Despite Tinder’s tools, actions, and safety features, there have been serious concerns about the platform’s effectiveness in addressing abuse and harassment. A report by Triple J. Hack, an Australian radio program, found that among 231 users who experienced sexual offenses or harassment on Tinder, only 48 reported it — and just 11 received a generic, non-personalized response from the platform.
One victim shared that it took multiple reports from several women before her attacker was finally removed. Tinder’s “Unmatch” feature also poses an issue. It allows perpetrators of crimes to unmatch with their victims, which erases any messages or evidence of a crime. These findings suggest that Tinder’s response to abusive behavior remains inconsistent and should not be fully relied on.
Hinge
Released in 2012, Hinge was a dating platform for those serious about long-term relationships. Now around 23 years later, the platform has grown to over 15 million monthly active users. While Hinge has become more popular, the user base also has malicious actors who exploit others with scams. Hinge publicly emphasizes their focus on user safety and has implemented multiple tools and features to protect its community.
Hinge’s Trust and Safety page states that the platform leads with values of authenticity, courage, and empathy. The platform combines machine learning-driven technology and content moderators to assess reports. Then, automated systems take action or escalate the case to the Senior Moderators and Safety Specialists.
The platform does not tolerate any abusive, insulting, threatening, or discriminatory behavior. Hinge is also the only major dating platform that checks in with users after a first date. It’s a golden opportunity to provide feedback about any inappropriate behavior.
Concerns about Hinge Safety
Hinge has shown greater responsiveness to user reports compared to many other dating platforms. The company also offers a direct line of support at hello@hinge.co. In fact, Hinge recently had to adjust its moderation strategy to make them less strict. Instead of immediately banning accounts that violate community guidelines, the platform now flags and removes specific content on profiles. The platform also temporarily hides the profile from public view until the issue is corrected.
Furthermore, one user reported scrolling through fifteen profiles and identifying four that seemed fake. It’s clear that Hinge is working to protect its users through a combination of reporting tools, targeted moderation, and improved safety features. How effective their efforts are remains to be seen.
Match.com
Match.com is one of the oldest dating platforms that is still going strong today. The platform had around six million active users in 2023 and around two million downloads. Match.com’s safety center emphasizes the reliance on human moderation and monitoring tools. Here are a few actions the platform has taken in commitment to user safety.
- Reports reviewed by humans. com employees review every report themselves. This helps catch scammers more effectively and reduces the chances of false actions.
- Photo monitoring. Platform administrators combine technology and human moderation to identify and take action against inappropriate photos shared on Match.com.
- Fake profile identification. Using proprietary technology, Match.com flags fake profiles and removes them without user-generated reports.
Concerns about Match.com Safety
In 2019, the FTC filed a lawsuit against Match.com for tricking users into paying for a subscription. They also alleged that Match.com unfairly exposed their users to the risk of fraud. According to the complaint, Match.com sent emails to nonsubscribers with free accounts that they have received a message from someone interested in you.
The platform also encouraged those same users to subscribe to be able to view who is interested. However, what they didn’t disclose is that these messages came from profiles that were already flagged as fraudulent.
Furthermore, the lawsuit revealed that between 25% and 30% of accounts on Match.com were scammers. It’s also revealed that during certain months between 2013 and 2016, more than half of all instant messages and “favorites” sent to users on Match.com came from fake profiles. Match.com may have taken steps to improve user safety. However, the lawsuit should give any potential user pause about using the platform.
Popular Dating Apps Outside the Match Group Network
Bumble
Bumble was launched in 2014 as a rival to Tinder. Unlike its counterpart, Bumble only allows women to message men and make initial contact. The platform became popular quickly as it empowered women to make the first move.
This, of course, reduced the number of scams targeting women. However, the platform is not risk-free. There are several scammers on Bumble that users need to be aware of. Bumble understands this issue and has implemented several tools to combat dating scams.
- Private Detector. Bumble is now using AI to detect explicit images and automatically blurs them in chats.
- Deception Detector. This new AI tool scans the profiles on Bumble and looks for profiles with malicious warning signs. Profiles with scams, fake profiles, or spam may be flagged as fraudulent and removed from the platform.
- Photo and ID Verification. Bumble users can use photo verification to prove that they are who they say they are. There is also ID verification for an added layer of assurance.
Concerns about Bumble Safety
Bumble has not been fully transparent about the extent of scams on its platform, making it difficult to gauge how safe it truly is compared to other dating apps. Still, the company has introduced several notable safety features to protect its users. These include bans on weapons or violent imagery, in-app video and voice calls to verify authenticity, and a ban of hate speech of any kind.
Of course, Bumble’s signature feature — which is to allow only women to initiate conversations in heterosexual relationships — is also a safety measure, giving women greater control over who they engage with.
Grindr
Launched in 2009, Grindr quickly became known as the most popular dating platform for the LGBTQ+ community. It has been the cornerstone of sexual diversity in the online dating scene and has reached nearly 15 million monthly active users as of 2025. With any platform that attracts millions of people, scammers see an opportunity for exploiting trust.
Similar to Tinder, Grindr serves as a pillar for sexual liberation and casual hookups. Unfortunately, this also opens the door for scammers to commit sextortion, threatening to expose your explicit images unless you pay them. However, Grindr has been fighting against sextortion and more by spreading awareness and implementing safety tools. Here are a few features Grindr is using to protect its users.
- A Scam Awareness Guide. Grindr administrators believe that education is the best protection. They have articles and guides on the platform’s safety center to educate users on how each scam works.
- Taken on Grindr. This safety feature is a photo verification tool that provides an animated Grindr badge to any image taken by the in-app camera.
- Human Moderation Team. Grindr’s administrators combine machine learning moderation with human reviewers. The profiles may get automatically banned after violating community guidelines, or after a human reviews the report and makes a decision.
Concerns about Grindr Safety
Grindr has faced criticism for being slow to respond to reports of abusive behavior. According to Presentes, a news outlet covering LGBTQ+ issues, a former tech support agent from Grindr’s Honduras branch claimed that enforcement officers were instructed to take action against the offender’s accounts. However, action was typically taken only when a profile had been reported by another user.
The former employee also alleged that illegal activities were not uncommon on the platform. However, the moderation process was often too slow to be effective. Grindr’s inconsistent moderation and oversight make it a platform where users need to constantly remain vigilant of fake profiles and criminal activity.
Why Staying Informed Is Your Best Defense Against Dating App Scams
Unfortunately, we don’t have all the information when it comes to the prevalence of scams on each dating platform. However, while some dating platforms may be trying harder than others to combat online scams, no platform is 100% safe.
It is up to the user to take the necessary steps to protect themselves from bad actors and to vet everyone they interact with. Staying informed and aware is the first layer of defense against scammers. Don’t leave yourself vulnerable to cybercriminals. Stay one step ahead with the proper education.
