Scams

Dating app Grindr has issued a warning to its users who live in or are traveling to Brussels after a recent attack.

Grindr has installed a push notification for users in the area that reads: "Be safe! Violent and homophobic setups have been reported in Brussels," according to Brussels Times.

The gay dating app warned users of homophobic violence in the country after local police confirmed they are investigating whether someone used a fake profile to target and kill a family in a recent home invasion in Ixelles, Brussels. A fifty-seven year-old man was shot dead, and his wife and twenty-two year-old son suffered gunshot wounds after their home was invaded.

Bumble has announced a new reporting feature for users to alert the app if they suspect a profile of displaying AI-generated photos and videos.

“Fake Profile” allows users to flag and report accounts that they think are AI-generated and being used to deceive other app users. According to Tech Crunch, people using AI to beef up their profiles is creating a new problem on dating apps (aside from the typical bots, spam accounts, and safety issues that have been around for a while) – and that is whether or not to believe that the person in the profile they are seeing is actually that person, or an AI-enhanced version of them.

For example, someone could generate a photo of themselves to make them look more like Taylor Swift, or alter their bodies to show muscles they don’t have in real life, hoping to attract more matches through deception. In other words, they are gaming the system with AI.

A majority of dating platforms have signed on to a new dating safety code in Australia, in an effort to crack down on dating app users who violate policies.

According to News.com, dating app users who “harass, threaten, or share unwanted explicit photos” could have their accounts terminated across multiple platforms at the same time, intended to create a safer space overall for online dating. Seventy-five percent of companies operating in Australia have signed on to the new industry standard, including Match Group (which operates Tinder, Hinge and OkCupid among others), Bumble and Grindr.

A recurring problem with dating apps is user safety, specifically surrounding the growing number of users who receive unsolicited images. If a perpetrator is banned from one platform, they can easily move on to other platforms, so the new safety standard is intended to prevent this from happening.

A new study from Eventbrite says that young people are turning away from dating apps to meet at in-person gatherings.

According to Axios, the study showed a 42 percent increase in people signing up for in-person dating events, like speed dating, between 2022 and 2023. From May 2023 to April 2024, Eventbrite also saw more than 1.5 million searches for dating and singles events on its platform.

"This ongoing trend speaks to a broader societal shift where people are craving genuine connections and meaningful experiences tailored to their interests," Eventbrite said in the report, which was released in early June. 

Online scams are on the rise across New York state, according to its Attorney General Leticia James.

Local news WGRZ reported that scammers are using dating apps, social media, and unsolicited text messages to lure victims into making fraudulent purchases or investments. Referred to as “pig butchering” – the idea is for the scammer to befriend and form trust with the victim before taking their money.

"New Yorkers hoping to find romance and personal connections online are instead being taken advantage of and victimized by heartless scammers,” said Attorney General James in a release. “Sophisticated fraudsters are increasingly using dating apps and social media to trick users into bogus investment schemes.”

The FBI has issued a new warning for dating app users about a scam that involves “verification,” which raises more problems for the platforms as they roll out new safety features.

Scammers have been targeting people signing up for dating apps by asking people they match with to verify their identity “for safety reasons.” They share links to websites to get them off the platform, where they can steal the victim’s money and private data, such as credit card information.

The fake website looks real to users, displaying “fake articles alluding to the legitimacy of the website,” according to the FBI’s announcement. The verification website prompts the victim to provide their name, phone number, email address, and credit card number to “complete the process.” When the victim submits the information, they are led to another dating website charging monthly subscription fees.