Dating safety: know who you are meeting
Practical, no-fluff guides to checking that a match is real, spotting catfish and romance scams, and meeting safely. Written from FTC and FBI guidance, not guesswork.
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Verify a match
How to check if someone is real before a first date
A 15-minute, step-by-step check to confirm a dating match is a real person before you meet: photos, name, number, social footprint and a video call.
7 min read
12 signs you are talking to a catfish
The 12 most reliable signs you are talking to a catfish, why each one matters, and the quick checks that confirm it either way.
6 min read
How to verify a Tinder match is real
How to tell if a Tinder match is real: what the blue check does and does not prove, how to reverse-search their photos, and the safe way to check a name and number.
6 min read
How to verify a Hinge match before you meet
Hinge Selfie Verification, prompts and the details people share make Hinge matches easy to check. Here is how to confirm a Hinge match is real in minutes.
5 min read
How to verify a Bumble match is real
What Bumble's photo and ID verification badges confirm, the red flags specific to Bumble, and a quick way to check a match's name and number before a date.
5 min read
Is he still on dating apps? What you can actually find out
What you can and cannot find out about whether a partner is still on Tinder, Hinge or Bumble, the legitimate ways to check, and how to have the conversation.
6 min read
How to reverse image search a dating profile
Step-by-step: reverse image search dating profile photos on iPhone, Android and desktop with Google Lens, TinEye and Bing, and how to read the results.
5 min read
How to tell if an Instagram account is real
How to check whether an Instagram account sliding into your DMs is a real person: follower patterns, post history, tags, reverse image search and more.
5 min read
Scams
Romance scam warning signs, backed by FTC data
The warning signs of a romance scam, backed by FTC data: the lies scammers tell, how they ask for money, and what to do if you spot them.
8 min read
Military romance scams: how to spot a fake soldier
Fake soldiers are the most common romance-scam story, per the FTC. The requests real service members never make, and how to check a "deployed" match.
5 min read
Crypto romance scams: how "pig butchering" works
How crypto romance scams work, the fake trading apps they use, the warning signs, and what to do if you already invested.
6 min read
Sextortion: what to do if someone threatens to share your photos
If someone is threatening to share your intimate photos unless you pay: what to do right now, why paying makes it worse, and where to get images taken down.
5 min read
Scammed by someone you met online? Do these things today
A step-by-step recovery plan after a romance or dating scam: contact your bank, report to the FTC and FBI, secure your accounts, and avoid recovery scams.
6 min read
Meeting safely
Video call before you meet: how to ask and what to look for
A 2-minute video call is the best way to confirm a match is real. How to ask without being awkward, what to look for, and how to spot deepfake or pre-recorded video.
4 min read
First date safety checklist
A practical first-date safety checklist for meeting someone from a dating app: what to check before, how to set up the date, and what to do during and after.
5 min read
How to check the sex offender registry before a date
How to search the free national sex offender registry (NSOPW.gov) before meeting a match, what it covers, its limits, and what to do with a match.
4 min read
Records & lookups
Reverse phone lookup for dating: what a number tells you
Got a match's phone number? Here is what a reverse phone lookup shows (carrier, line type, location, owner name), what VoIP and Google Voice numbers mean, and how to use it safely.
6 min read
What a public records search shows, and what it doesn't
An honest guide to people-search and public-records results: what is actually public, what is not, how accurate it is, and the legal limits under the FCRA.
7 min read
How to tell if someone you are dating is married
Behavioral signs that a match may be married or in a relationship, and the legitimate public information you can check, including marriage records.
6 min read
Google Voice numbers and dating: red flag or just smart?
Why many daters use Google Voice or app numbers, when a VoIP number is a red flag, and how to tell a private person from a scammer.
4 min read
How to look someone up ethically, and legally
Where the line is between sensible safety research and stalking: what is OK to search, what is not, and the legal limits including the FCRA.
5 min read
Questions
How do I make sure my date is a real person?
Reverse-search two of their photos, search the name and number they gave you, and do a short video call. Our step-by-step guide takes about 15 minutes.
What are the signs of a romance scam?
Fast affection, a reason they can't meet or video call, then a request for money, gift cards or crypto. See romance scam warning signs.
Is it OK to look someone up before a date?
Yes, to confirm identity and safety. It is not OK to use the results to stalk or harass someone, or for employment, tenant or credit decisions.
TrueSearch is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Do not use TrueSearch or anything on this page to make decisions about employment, housing or tenant screening, credit, insurance, or any other FCRA-covered purpose. Results come from publicly available information and licensed telecom data and may be incomplete or out of date.