Senior dating is geared to older people who have very different needs—and interests—than younger singles. For example, some seniors might be looking for a potential mate while others may simply be interested in connecting with a companion to attend events, go to dinner or spend evenings at the movies.

“Dating apps present an almost overwhelming opportunity to meet new people,” says Lundgren. “I always tell people that it’s like putting a bunch of fishing lines into a pond. You don’t know which line might bite, but you put it out there. It’s exciting to think about the possibilities.”

There’s no denying the importance of companionship. In fact, several studies highlight the benefits relationships can have on a person’s overall health and well-being. Here are a few to consider:

• You can help your heart. A 2017 newsletter published by the National Institutes of Health suggests strong social ties (like those formed in dating and romantic relationships) may help reduce stress and heart health-related issues.
• You can live longer. A 2010 study in Annals of Behavioral Medicine confirms the positive power of stable social surroundings, noting specifically that loneliness can lead to increased morbidity and mortality.
• You’ll help your overall health. The Harvard Second Generation Study reports how happy people are in their relationships has a huge influence on their health and can even help to delay mental and physical decline.

Older adults can easily find websites geared toward their specific age group. For example, sites like Silver Singles are reserved for those 50 and up. Other popular senior dating sites include:

• OurTime (ages 50+)
• Match
• OKCupid
• Tinder
• Bumble
• Plenty of Fish
• Hinge

If you’re interested in joining a senior dating site, you typically register with your email address. In some cases, you’re asked to take an in-depth personality test or set interest filters like “mature dating,” “gay senior dating” or “older women dating.” Then, you’re often asked to upload a photo of yourself.

Once your profile is complete, you start receiving local matches. (Each dating site has its own algorithm geared toward helping you meet potential matches.) When you connect with a match, many websites allow you to message them privately via an online message function.

You May Also Be Interested In Bestselling Gifts On Amazon

Here are some features you can expect from most dating websites designed for older adults.

A Questionnaire

Depending on the site, you may be asked to fill out a questionnaire to help narrow down matches. It might be a fill-in-the-blank survey, or it might be a multiple-choice “quiz” that helps you express what you’re looking for in a partner. Common questions explore your body type, education level, smoking and drinking habits, religious beliefs and practices, hobbies, political views and match preferences, including age range, height, marital status, education and more.

A Detailed Profile

Your profile is your opportunity to showcase your unique personality. Depending on the website, there are different fields users can fill out, such as your interests and preferences in potential companions. Be sure to share details about yourself, but be careful about revealing too much personal information in your profile.

Privacy and Safety Features

Reputable dating websites disclose the steps they’ve taken to keep your data private and keep you safe while you use their service. Look for words like “encryption” (which encodes messages so they can only be read by the sender and recipient), “scam detection” (which detects potential fraud like fake profiles and stolen photos) and “sex offender checks.” Know that not all free dating sites complete criminal background checks on their users.

Cost

The price of meeting a potential match depends on the dating site. For example, Silver Singles offers a free basic membership, but you can upgrade to a premium service that provides unlimited access to all profiles and the ability to create a more detailed profile. Pricing structures differ from site to site.

Communication and Connecting

Once you’ve set up your profile and uploaded a photo, you can begin connecting with potential matches. The options for how to do so are broad, but they often include messaging on the app or website itself, as well as an option for audio and video calls.

The Site’s Network

Before joining a site, do some quick research. Most websites will publicly list their number of active members, and they should be able to share the process by which they match you with singles in your local community.

Additional Perks

Along with matching you with potential partners, some sites offer bonus services like a professional matchmaker who can find matches for you, a dating concierge who can help you plan dates and invitations to member-only events. However, there may be an extra cost associated with these add-ons.

Unfortunately, there are some common, widely-reported senior dating scams out there, says Paul Bischoff, a consumer privacy expert at Comparitech, a cybersecurity information website. They tend to begin with “love bombing,” where a scammer showers you with affection. Once they have you hooked, they may begin asking you for money or personal information you shouldn’t share.

“Seniors are particularly vulnerable to these scams since they tend to have money and good credit, making them lucrative targets,” says Bischoff. “They tend to be socially isolated and thus less likely to report the crime or ask a close friend or loved one for help.”

Watch out for red flags, including:

• Being asked for money.
• Being informed by the person of their financial hardships.
• Being asked to share a compromising photo.
• Being told to invest in a get-rich-quick scheme.

Have fun on your senior dating journey, but keep safety in mind as well. No matter how nice a person sounds online, remember you’re corresponding with a stranger until you meet in person and get to know them better. Here’s a handful of pro tips to keep you safe as you match.

• Join a reputable dating site. Before you sign up for any dating website, ask your friends for recommendations and listen closely to their feedback. You can check the Better Business Bureau to see if they’re accredited and whether they have any complaints filed against them, says Lundgren. “It’s always smart to make sure a website is secure so your information isn’t vulnerable. You can look in your browser for a lock icon. If you see a message that says your information isn’t private/secure don’t enter your personal information.”
• Don’t give out extra personal information. It’s important to protect your anonymity, Lundgren says. Avoid sharing your last name, town or city, where you work, specific details about you (like volunteer or alumni organizations you’re involved in) and your email address and phone number. “Don’t forget—you don’t want to share your kids’ names, either,” says Lundgren. “It’s very important to protect your family’s identity as well.”
• Prepare for the first conversation. When you keep communication limited to the app or website, you create a clear record of all of your communications, which is helpful in the event that you need to report an issue, says Amber Artis, a certified matchmaker and relationship expert and CEO of Select Date Society. If you’re ready to speak on the phone, consider using Skype or create a separate email address just for dating that doesn’t show your full name. Connecting with a potential date in a safe way also helps you confirm the person isn’t using fake photos or information about themselves.
• Tell friends and family members when you’re going on a date. Always inform a close friend, colleague or family member when you’re meeting someone new, says Artis. “Share your location with them on your phone, and check in with them before, during and after the date,” she says.
• Always meet in public. It doesn’t matter how comfortable you are with a person or how much chemistry you have—it’s very important to meet in public, especially initially, says Artis. “Do not go to their home or invite them to yours until you know them really well,” she says. “This means you should have several in-person dates in a public place first.”
• Never send anyone money. Anyone asking for money or claiming to be experiencing financial issues raises a giant red flag, says Artis. This happens often, and the majority of romance scam victims are women over the age of 50, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. “This person is likely trying to scam you,” she says. “I urge everyone to use their best judgment and listen to their instincts. If you have a gut feeling that this person isn’t legit, heed your inner voice.”

Featured Partner

Ritual Essential For Women Multivitamin 50+

Ingredients

Gluten Free, Major Allergen Free, No Artificial Colorants

Ritual Essential For Men Multivitamin 50+

Ingredients

Gluten Free, Major Allergen Free, No Artificial Colorants

Ritual Essential Duo Women 50+

Essential for Women 50+ Ingredients

Vitamin D3, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin B12, Folate

Essential Protein Daily Shake 50+ Ingredients

Protein, Choline, Calcium, Iron, L-Methionine

Ritual Essential Duo Men 50+

Essential for Men 50+ Ingredients

Vitamin A, Vitamin D3, Omega-3 DHA, Magnesium, Folate

Essential Protein Daily Shake 50+ Ingredients

L-Methionine, Calcium, Choline, Iron, Protein

Ritual The Life Partner

Essential for Women 50+ Ingredients

Vitamin D3, Folate, Omega-3 DHA, Vitamin K, Magnesium

(Note: All prices are accurate as of publication and are subject to change.)

Sources

Do Social Ties Affect Our Health?National Institutes of Health. Accessed 6/30/2021.

Hawkley L, Cacioppo J.Loneliness Matters: A Theoretical and Empirical Review of Consequences and Mechanisms. Ann Behav Med. 2010;40(2):10.1007.

Happiness and Overall Health. Harvard Second Generation Study. Accessed 6/30/2021.

Romance Scams. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Accessed 6/30/2021.

Swipe left or right for love at first site? While dating apps make money playing cupid in cyberspace, some users have burned their fingers flirting with danger.

A serendipitous meeting at the gas station, a chance encounter at a bar on a rainy Saturday night or divine intervention during church service on Sunday…

This is certainly not how the millennial generation finds love these days.

American artist Julie Dillon says: “Our universe grants every soul a twin, a reflection of themselves. The kindred spirit, and no matter where they are or how far away they are from each other, even if they are in different dimensions, they will always find one another. This is destiny; this is love.”

But that was before dating apps played cupid in cyberspace. Today, the smartphone-obsessed generation would rather enter the world of dating online.

Love too has officially been disrupted. The once-taboo subject is an online trend and businesses are cashing in.

According to Statista, revenues in the online dating segment are expected to show an annual rate of 3.9%, resulting in a market volume of $1.6 billion. And for those confident enough to enter this world, it has its own lingo that you need to master first.

Ghosting, for example, is the practice of ending a personal relationship with someone suddenly and without warning or explanation, withdrawing from all communication.

READ MORE: The Watchdog Sniffing Out Deception

Breadcrumbing refers to the act of sending out flirtatious, but non-committal text messages (i.e., ‘breadcrumbs’) in order to lure a sexual partner without expending much effort. Zombie-ing is when someone you thought had ‘ghosted’ you shows up unexpectedly again in your life (usually through texts or social media).

Benching is when you start dating someone you think is nice and who has potential, but you’re not crazy about him or her.

Orbiting is the term attributed to a form of behavior where you’ve been ‘ghosted’, but the person who ‘ghosted’ you still engages with you on social media. The latest new word is fishing, a practice where you send messages out to a whole lot of your matches on a dating app, wait and see which ones bite and then you select the one you want to pursue.

The online dating vocabulary is just as varied as the number of platforms to go ‘fishing’ on.

Tinder is perhaps one of the most popular dating apps, with enough takers across Africa. The app has a simple user interface that allows users to share real-time photos as they chat with their matches and swipe left or right to select who they are interested in.

Other apps include Bumble, Grindr, Speedate, Benaughty, Are You Interested (AYI), Tagged, Ok Cupid and many more providing singletons a never-ending stream of possible suitors.

“Do you swipe left or right? That is all it takes to find that perfect someone on Tinder. There are billions of people in the world and quite frankly, it is very unrealistic to think that you might magically bump into the one you are destined to be with without taking matters into your own hands,” says Ola (who did not give his full name for privacy reasons).

He has been an avid user of dating apps for the past five years. During this time, Ola has been on about 20 dates and had two relationships that lasted six months and eight months.

“I turned around to leave and he pushed me back into the room and locked the door behind me.”

“It all started out as something fun to do with my friends. At the time, we were looking for nice girls to hook up with and the idea of having a selection of girls who are also looking for boys at the touch of a button was perfect,” he says.

A couple of years ago, you would be scammed for dating online. But according to Ola, times have changed. This is now one of the best ways to meet singles in your area in part thanks to Tinder. These websites and apps widen the choice and provide a convenient way to match people with their ideal mates.

“If you were to meet a girl in a bar today, you will have to spend a fortune on drinks for her and her friends and she will probably still not give you her phone number. Why waste your time meeting someone who is not even interested in you. With online dating, they get to see your picture, read a little something about you and get in touch if they find you interesting. By the time you meet, you are no longer meeting a stranger but someone you have been talking to for sometime,” says Ola.

The business is flourishing. According to eharmony.com: “There are 40 million Americans using online dating websites and users range from young to old. Young adults account for about 27% of users, up 10% from 2013 due mainly to the influx of dating apps on smartphones.”

Computer keys with heart connected by a cable.

According to the Pew Research Center, the overwhelming majority of Americans suggest that online dating is a good way to meet people. Subsequently, more than 15% of adults say that they have used either mobile dating apps or an online dating site at least once in the past.

“There is no stigma attached to online dating anymore. Everyone is doing it: some people are lonely, some have hectic schedules so do not have time to meet suitable partners and many are just curious to see what they might find out there,” says Ola.

Online dating services are now the second most popular way to meet a partner. Another factor for the popularity of online dating is time. Online dating presents an effective solution by providing users the ability to browse profiles, which is not as time-consuming or scary as mixing with people in real life. According to Psychology Today, about one in five relationships begin online nowadays, and by 2040, 70% of us will have met our significant other online.

However, with the growing popularity of online dating, comes a darker side most people do not hear about.

It is 46 degrees in the residential neighborhood of Lekki in Lagos. The oppressive August heat hasn’t stopped my rendezvous with Miriam (real name withheld) this afternoon outside Harvest restaurant here.

“I first used Tinder three years ago. At the time, I had been single for about five years and after countless failed matching sessions from my friends, a friend introduced me to Tinder. I was initially hesitant but I decided to give it a try anyway. That is when I saw his profile,” says Miriam.

Her profile matched her to her ideal mate; a six-foot tall, dark and muscular man who had a well-paying job, loved kids and was ready to settle down within the next two years.

“He also lived on [Victoria] Island so it was perfect. We spoke online for about a month and moved the conversation onto WhatsApp and started video-calling each other. We finally decided to meet and he invited me to his place to meet his family for dinner. I was initially hesitant but he assured me his sister and her kids were also in the house so I had nothing to worry about. So I agreed,” says Miriam.

On arrival, she was warmly greeted by her date who escorted her into the house. Immediately, Miriam sensed danger.

“There were two other guys in the house and no sign of his sister or kids. I immediately felt like this was a mistake. I turned around to leave and he pushed me back into the room and locked the door behind me. One of the men held me down and they took turns to rape me,” she recalls.

The tragic ordeal has forever scarred Miriam. Her cries for help were heard by a neighbor who brought other security men to the house. Unfortunately, for Miriam, it was too late. The harm had already been done. The men were arrested and charged with rape and are currently serving 10 years for the crime.

“This is a serious problem that affects most of these women who look for love online. Even Uber drivers sometimes attack their passengers so you are really risking your life by meeting a stranger online. Most of these men lie about their profiles. They know what type of language will attract their prey and unfortunately, those who fall victim to this are sometimes very young inexperienced girls,” says Victor Oppong, a freelance investigative journalist in Lagos.

According to statistics from datingadvice.com, there are about 16,000 abductions, 100 murders and thousands of rapes committed by online predators. Also, in 2011 alone, online con artists duped their victims out of more than $50 million in money and property.

“I did a story last year on a man who was duped into sending over $20,000 to a girl in London who claimed she was using the money to pay her debts and return to Nigeria to marry the man. He sent the money and never heard from the girl again. I always tell anybody who is using online dating sites to be very careful and only use trusted sites,” says Oppong.

According to research by Michigan State University, relationships that start online are 28% more likely to break down in their first year, than relationships where the couples first met face-to-face. And to make matters worse, couples who met online are nearly three times as likely to get divorced as couples that met face-to-face.

But no matter the perils of online dating, its popularity cannot be ignored. It offers something important for the millions of registered followers and that is the possibility of finding your soul mate in a crowd of 7.6 billion people.

Senior dating is geared to older people who have very different needs—and interests—than younger singles. For example, some seniors might be looking for a potential mate while others may simply be interested in connecting with a companion to attend events, go to dinner or spend evenings at the movies.

“Dating apps present an almost overwhelming opportunity to meet new people,” says Lundgren. “I always tell people that it’s like putting a bunch of fishing lines into a pond. You don’t know which line might bite, but you put it out there. It’s exciting to think about the possibilities.”

There’s no denying the importance of companionship. In fact, forbes online dating, several studies highlight the benefits relationships can have on a person’s overall health and well-being. Here are a few to consider:

• You can help your heart. A 2017 newsletter published by the National Institutes of Matures dating free suggests strong social ties (like those formed in dating and romantic relationships) may help reduce stress and heart health-related issues.
• You can live longer. A 2010 study in Annals of Behavioral Medicine confirms the positive power of stable social surroundings, forbes online dating, noting specifically that loneliness can lead to increased morbidity and mortality.
• You’ll help your overall health. The Harvard Second Generation Study reports how happy people are in their relationships has a huge influence on their health and can even help to delay mental and physical decline.

Older adults can easily find websites geared toward their specific age group. For example, sites like Silver Singles are reserved for those 50 and up. Other popular senior dating sites include:

• OurTime (ages 50+)
• Match
• OKCupid
• Tinder
• Bumble
• Plenty of Fish
• Hinge

If you’re interested in joining a senior dating site, you typically register with your email address. In some cases, you’re asked to take forbes online dating in-depth personality test or set interest filters like “mature dating,” “gay senior dating” or “older women dating.” Then, you’re often asked to upload a photo of yourself.

Once your profile is complete, you start receiving local matches. (Each dating site has its own algorithm geared toward helping you meet potential matches.) When you connect with a match, many websites allow you to message them privately via an online message function.

You May Also Be Interested In Bestselling Gifts On Amazon

Here are some features you can expect from most dating websites designed for older adults.

A Questionnaire

Depending on the site, you may be asked to fill out a questionnaire to help narrow down matches. It might be a fill-in-the-blank survey, or it might be a multiple-choice “quiz” that helps you express what you’re looking for in a partner. Common questions explore your body type, education level, smoking and drinking habits, religious beliefs and practices, hobbies, political views and match preferences, including age range, height, marital status, education and more.

A Detailed Profile

Your profile is your opportunity to showcase your unique personality. Depending on the website, there are different fields users can fill out, dating apps for fat women as your interests and preferences in potential companions. Be sure to share details about yourself, but be careful about revealing too much personal information in your profile.

Privacy and Safety Features

Reputable dating websites disclose the steps they’ve taken to keep your data private and keep you safe while you use their service. Look for words forbes online dating “encryption” (which encodes messages so they can only be read by the sender forbes online dating recipient), “scam detection” (which detects potential fraud like fake profiles and stolen photos) and “sex offender checks.” Know that not all free dating sites complete criminal background checks on their users.

Cost

The price of meeting a potential match depends on the dating site. For example, Silver Singles offers a free basic membership, but you can upgrade to a premium service that provides unlimited access to all profiles and the ability to create a more detailed profile. Pricing structures differ from site to site.

Communication and Connecting

Once you’ve set up your profile and uploaded a photo, you can begin connecting with potential matches. The options for how to do so are broad, but they often include messaging on the app or website itself, forbes online dating, as well as an option for audio and video calls.

The Site’s Network

Before joining a site, do some quick research. Forbes online dating websites will publicly list their number of active members, forbes online dating, and they should be able to share the process by which they match you with singles in your local community.

Additional Perks

Along with matching you with potential partners, some sites offer bonus services like a professional matchmaker who can find matches for you, a dating concierge who can help you plan dates and invitations to member-only events. However, there may be an extra cost associated with these add-ons.

Unfortunately, there are some common, forbes online dating, widely-reported senior dating scams out there, says Paul Bischoff, a free to talk dating sites privacy expert at Comparitech, a cybersecurity information website. They tend to begin with “love bombing,” where a scammer showers you with affection. Once they have you hooked, they may begin asking you for money or personal information you shouldn’t share.

“Seniors are particularly vulnerable to these scams since they tend to have money and good credit, making them senior dating sites reviews targets,” says Bischoff. “They tend to be socially isolated and thus less likely to report the crime or ask a close friend or loved one for help.”

Watch out for red flags, including:

• Being asked for money.
• Being informed by the person of their financial hardships.
• Being asked to share a compromising photo.
• Being told to invest in a get-rich-quick scheme.

Have fun on your senior dating journey, but keep safety in mind as well. No matter how nice a person sounds online, forbes online dating, remember you’re corresponding with a stranger until you meet in person and get to know them better. Here’s a handful of pro tips to keep you safe as you match.

• Join a reputable dating site. Before you sign up for any dating website, ask your friends for recommendations and listen closely to their feedback. You can check the Better Business Bureau to see if they’re accredited and whether they have any complaints filed against them, says Lundgren. forbes online dating always smart to make sure a website is secure so your information who is 4 from black ink chicago dating vulnerable. You can look in your browser for a lock icon. If you see a message that says your information isn’t private/secure don’t enter your personal information.”
• Don’t give out extra personal information. It’s important to protect your anonymity, Lundgren says. Avoid sharing your last name, town or city, forbes online dating, where you work, specific details about you (like volunteer or alumni organizations you’re involved in) and your email address and phone number. “Don’t forget—you don’t want to share your kids’ names, forbes online dating, either,” says Lundgren. “It’s very important to protect your family’s identity as well.”
• Prepare for the first conversation. When you keep communication limited to the app or website, you create a clear record of all of your communications, which is helpful in the event that you need to report an issue, says Amber Artis, a certified matchmaker forbes online dating female easy dating site without payment expert and CEO of Select Date Society. If you’re ready to speak on the phone, consider using Skype or create a separate email address just for dating that doesn’t show your full name. Connecting with a potential date in a safe way also helps you confirm the person isn’t using fake photos or information about themselves.
• Tell friends and family members when you’re going on a date. Always inform a close friend, colleague or family member when you’re meeting someone new, says Artis. “Share your location with them on your phone, and check in with them before, during and after the date,” she says.
• Always meet in public. It doesn’t matter how comfortable you are with a person or how much chemistry you have—it’s very important to meet in public, especially initially, says Artis. “Do not go to their home or invite them to yours until you know them really well,” she says. “This means you should have several in-person dates in a public place first.”
• Never send anyone money. Anyone asking for money or claiming to be experiencing financial issues raises a giant red flag, says Artis. This happens often, and the majority of romance scam victims are women over the age of 50, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, forbes online dating. “This person is likely trying to scam you,” she says. “I urge everyone to use their best judgment and listen to their instincts. If you have a gut feeling that this person isn’t legit, heed your inner voice.”

Featured Partner

Ritual Essential For Women Multivitamin 50+

Ingredients

Gluten Free, Major Allergen Free, No Artificial Colorants

Ritual Essential For Men Multivitamin 50+

Ingredients

Gluten Free, Major Allergen Free, No Artificial Colorants

Ritual Essential Duo Women 50+

Essential for Women 50+ Ingredients

Vitamin D3, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin B12, Folate

Essential Protein Daily Shake 50+ Ingredients

Protein, forbes online dating, Choline, Calcium, Iron, L-Methionine

Ritual Essential Duo Men 50+

Essential for Men 50+ Ingredients

Vitamin A, Vitamin D3, Omega-3 DHA, Magnesium, Folate

Essential Protein Daily Shake 50+ Ingredients

L-Methionine, Calcium, Choline, Iron, Protein

Ritual The Life Partner

Essential for Women 50+ Ingredients

Vitamin D3, Folate, Omega-3 DHA, Vitamin K, Magnesium

(Note: All prices are accurate as of publication and are subject to change.)

Sources

Do Social Ties Affect Our Health?National Institutes of Health. Accessed 6/30/2021.

Hawkley L, Cacioppo J.Loneliness Matters: A Theoretical and Empirical Review of Consequences and Mechanisms. Ann Behav Med, forbes online dating. 2010;40(2):10.1007.

Happiness and Overall Health. Harvard Second Generation Study. Accessed 6/30/2021.

Romance Scams. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Accessed 6/30/2021.

Swipe left or right for love at first site? While dating apps make money playing cupid in cyberspace, some users have burned their fingers flirting with danger.

A serendipitous meeting at the gas station, a chance encounter at a bar on a rainy Saturday night or divine intervention during church service on Sunday…

This is certainly not how the millennial generation finds love these days.

American artist Julie Dillon says: “Our universe grants every soul a twin, a reflection of themselves. The kindred spirit, and no matter where they are or how far away they are from each other, forbes online dating, even if they are in different dimensions, they will always find one forbes online dating. This is destiny; this is love.”

But that was before dating apps played cupid in cyberspace. Today, the smartphone-obsessed generation would rather enter the world of dating online.

Love too has officially been disrupted. The once-taboo subject is an online trend and businesses are cashing in.

According to Statista, revenues in the online dating segment are expected to show an annual rate of 3.9%, resulting in a market volume of $1.6 billion. And for those confident enough to enter this world, it has its own lingo that you need to master first.

Ghosting, for example, is the practice of ending a personal relationship with someone suddenly and without chinese dating apps or explanation, withdrawing from all communication.

READ MORE: The Watchdog Sniffing Out Deception

Breadcrumbing refers to the act of sending out flirtatious, but non-committal text messages (i.e., forbes online dating, ‘breadcrumbs’) in order to lure a sexual partner without expending much effort. Zombie-ing is when someone you thought great free dating apps ‘ghosted’ you shows up unexpectedly again in your life (usually through texts or social media).

Benching is when you start dating someone you think is nice and who has forbes online dating, but you’re not crazy about him or her.

Orbiting is the term attributed to a form of behavior where you’ve been ‘ghosted’, but the person who ‘ghosted’ you still engages with you on social media. The latest new word is fishing, a practice where you send dating alaska divorced men in usa out to a whole lot of your matches on a dating app, wait and see which ones bite and then you select the one you want to pursue.

The online dating vocabulary is just as varied as the number of platforms to go ‘fishing’ on.

Tinder is perhaps one of the most popular dating apps, with enough takers across Africa. The app has a simple user interface that allows users to share real-time photos as they chat with their matches and swipe left or right to select who they are interested in.

Other apps include Bumble, Grindr, Speedate, Benaughty, Are You Interested (AYI), Tagged, Ok Forbes online dating and many more providing singletons a never-ending stream of possible suitors.

“Do you swipe left or right? That is all it takes to find that perfect someone on Tinder. There are billions of people in the world and quite frankly, it is very unrealistic forbes online dating think that you might magically bump into the one you are destined to be with without taking matters into your own hands,” says Ola (who did not give his full name for privacy reasons).

He has been an avid user of dating apps for the past five years, forbes online dating. During this time, Ola has been on about 20 dates and had two relationships that lasted six months and eight months.

“I turned around to leave and he pushed me back into the room and locked the door behind me.”

“It all started out as something fun to do with my friends. At the time, we were looking for nice girls to hook up with and the idea of having a selection of girls who are also looking for boys at the touch of a button was perfect,” he says.

A couple of years ago, you would be scammed for dating online. But according to Ola, times have changed. This is now one of the best ways to meet singles in your area in part thanks to Tinder, forbes online dating. These websites and apps widen the choice and provide a convenient way to match people with their ideal mates.

“If you were to meet a girl in a bar today, you will have to spend a fortune on drinks for her and her friends and she will probably still not give you her phone number. Why waste your time meeting someone who is not even interested in you. Forbes online dating online dating, they get to see your picture, read dating ap for marriage little something about you and get in forbes online dating if they find you interesting. By the time you meet, you are no longer meeting a stranger but someone you have been talking to for sometime,” says Ola.

The business is flourishing. According to eharmony.com: “There are 40 million Americans using online dating websites and users range from young to old. Young adults account forbes online dating about 27% of users, up 10% from 2013 due mainly to the influx of dating apps on smartphones.”

Computer keys with heart connected by a cable.

According to the Pew Research Center, the overwhelming majority of Americans suggest that online list of qualifications dating courting a guy is a good way to meet people. Subsequently, more than 15% of adults say that they have used either mobile dating apps or an online dating site at least once in the past.

“There is no stigma attached to online dating anymore. Everyone is doing it: some people are lonely, some have hectic schedules so do not have time to meet suitable partners forbes online dating many are just curious to see what they might find out there,” says Ola.

Online dating services are now the second most popular way to meet forbes online dating partner. Another factor forbes online dating the popularity of online dating is time. Online dating presents an effective solution by providing users the ability to browse profiles, which is not as time-consuming or scary as mixing with people in real life. According to Psychology Today, about one in five relationships begin online nowadays, and by 2040, 70% of us will have forbes online dating our significant other online.

However, with the growing popularity of online dating, comes a darker side most people do not hear about.

It is 46 degrees in the residential neighborhood of Lekki in Lagos, forbes online dating. The oppressive August heat hasn’t stopped my rendezvous with Miriam (real name withheld) this afternoon outside Harvest restaurant here.

“I first used Tinder three years ago. At the time, I had been single for forbes online dating five years and after countless failed matching sessions from my friends, a friend introduced me to Tinder. I was initially hesitant but I decided to give it a try anyway, forbes online dating. That is when I saw his profile,” says Miriam.

Her profile matched her to her ideal mate; a six-foot tall, dark and muscular man who had a well-paying job, loved kids and was ready to settle down within the next two years.

“He also lived on [Victoria] Island so it was perfect. We spoke online for about a month and moved the conversation onto WhatsApp and started video-calling each other. We finally decided to meet and he invited me to his place to meet his family for dinner, forbes online dating. I was initially hesitant but he assured me his sister and her kids were also in the house so I had nothing to worry about, forbes online dating. So I agreed,” says Miriam.

On arrival, she was warmly greeted by her date who escorted funny dating sites into the house. Immediately, Miriam forbes online dating danger.

“There were two other guys in the house and no sign of his sister or kids, forbes online dating. I immediately felt like this was a mistake. I turned around to leave and he pushed me back into the room and locked the door behind me. One of the men held me down and they took turns to rape me,” she recalls.

The tragic ordeal has forever scarred Miriam. Her cries for help were heard by a neighbor who brought other security men to the house. Unfortunately, for Miriam, it was too late. The harm had already been done. The men were arrested and charged with rape and are currently serving 10 years for the crime.

“This is a serious problem that affects most of these women who look for love online. Even Uber drivers sometimes attack their passengers so you are really risking your life by meeting a stranger online. Most of these men lie about their profiles, forbes online dating. They know what type of language will attract their prey and unfortunately, those who fall victim to this are sometimes very young inexperienced girls,” says Victor Oppong, a freelance investigative journalist in Lagos.

According to statistics from datingadvice.com, there are about 16,000 abductions, 100 murders and thousands of rapes committed by online predators. Also, in 2011 alone, online con artists duped their victims out of more than $50 million in money and property.

“I did a story last year on a man who was duped into sending over $20,000 to a girl in London who claimed she was using the money to pay her debts and return to Nigeria to marry the man. He sent the money and never heard from the girl again. I always tell anybody who is using online dating sites to be very careful and only use trusted sites,” says Oppong.

According to research by Michigan State University, forbes online dating, relationships that start online are 28% more likely to break down in their first year, than relationships where the couples first met face-to-face. And to make matters worse, couples who met online are nearly three times as likely to get divorced as couples that met face-to-face.

But no matter the perils of online dating, its popularity cannot be ignored. It offers something important for the millions of registered followers and that is the possibility of finding your soul mate in a crowd of 7.6 billion people.