34% of Indians afraid to use dating apps due to scams: Report

Scammers can pose a serious barrier to people using dating apps, according to the findings of a recent global survey commissioned by Kaspersky.

According to the report, 34 per cent of Indian respondents said that they are afraid to use them as they fear being deceived by fraudsters, and 43 per cent generally do not trust people in dating apps.

However, only 27 per cent of respondents were targeted by cyber criminals, and 36 per cent who contacted fraudsters managed to avoid an attack, it said.

Scammers are increasingly drawn to such apps, taking advantage of the fact that people on these platforms are looking for a personal connection.

Of all the different types of issues on dating apps, users most often encountered catfishing (33 per cent), malicious links or attachments (38 per cent), or found that their identity had been stolen (36 per cent).

Around 42 per cent of users who managed to avoid an attack were able to identify a fraudster with a suspicious profile that looked fake, while 48 per cent of such users who managed to avoid the cyber attack were extremely careful and never sent money to dating applications.

About 37 per cent paid attention to suspicious messages. Almost 29 per cent of respondents became suspicious when the scammer refused to arrange a video call.

Lack of privacy is also a serious issue for dating apps. Twenty six per cent of respondents were about privacy leak. Moreover, 24 per cent of users deleted dating services because they wanted to make personal information more private.

“Dating online can be perceived as a risky adventure, as at the beginning of the acquaintance you don’t know anything about each other. However, keeping an eye out for some red flags can help you stay alert and pay attention to your digital match’s behavior,” said David Jacoby, security researcher at Kaspersky.

“If they ask for money or personal details during the first or second day of online dating, it’s better to consider whether it’s safe to continue communicating. Additionally, security measures can be a helpful way to keep your online dating experience safe and enjoyable,” added Jacoby.