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Dating Safety Statistics 2026

Online dating is one of the most common ways people meet today. It is also one of the most common ways people encounter deception. These statistics reflect what is actually happening — and what thoughtful daters are choosing to do about it.

How Common Is Catfishing and Identity Fraud in Online Dating?

1 in 3 Americans reports being deceived by someone they met on a dating app.

Source: Pew Research Center, 2023

Identity fraud in online dating has increased 67% since 2022.

Source: FTC Consumer Sentinel Network, 2024

In 2023, Americans lost $1.14 billion to romance scams — the highest loss category reported to the FTC.

Source: FTC, 2024

One in five adults who use dating apps say they have been matched with someone who used fake photos.

Source: Pew Research Center, 2023

The FBI's IC3 received 17,823 romance scam complaints in 2023 — a number experts believe significantly underrepresents actual incidents.

Source: FBI IC3 2023 Annual Report

70% of catfishing victims say they felt early signs of deception but dismissed them.

Source: Social Catfish, 2024

Who Is Most at Risk on Dating Apps?

Women are 3x more likely than men to report feeling unsafe when meeting someone from a dating app for the first time.

Source: Pew Research Center, 2023

Adults over 50 lose the most money per romance scam incident — a median loss of $9,000 per victim.

Source: FTC, 2024

52% of LGBTQ+ daters report encountering someone who misrepresented their identity on a dating app.

Source: GLAAD, 2023

Nearly half of single adults say they worry about the authenticity of profiles they see on dating apps.

Source: Pew Research Center, 2023

How Are People Verifying Dates Before They Meet?

64% of online daters say they Google someone before agreeing to meet in person.

Source: Pew Research Center, 2023

41% of daters say they have asked a friend or family member to check in during a first date.

Source: Match Group Safety Report, 2023

DateGuard users report 4x more confidence going into a first date than they did before using any verification tool.

Source: DateGuard user survey, 2026

Only 22% of daters were aware that liveness detection technology exists in consumer dating safety apps before 2025.

Source: DateGuard user survey, 2026

After using DateGuard, 89% of users said they felt more comfortable agreeing to meet a match in person.

Source: DateGuard user survey, 2026

How Is Technology Changing Dating Safety?

Liveness detection — the technology that confirms a real person is present on a video call, not a photo or recording — is now available in consumer dating safety apps for the first time.
AI-generated profile photos (deepfakes) are now estimated to appear in as many as 10% of dating app profiles, according to cybersecurity researchers.

Source: Sensity AI, 2024

DateGuard's identity verification system uses liveness detection, biometric photo matching, and public record cross-referencing to provide a full picture of who someone is before a first meeting.

What Does a Safe First-Date Preparation Look Like?

  1. Verify the person's identity using a third-party tool before agreeing to meet.
  2. Video call before meeting — and pay attention to whether the face matches the profile photos.
  3. Choose a public venue for the first meeting.
  4. Share your plans with a trusted friend or family member.
  5. Trust your instincts. Preparation is not pessimism — it is clarity.

DateGuard handles steps 1 and 2 automatically.

Dating Safety Resources

📊 Dating Safety Statistics 2026 🔍 What Is Identity Verification? ✅ First Date Safety Checklist

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