Around 50 million Americans have tried online dating. It’s so popular that by 2031 over 50% of couples are expected to meet via dating apps, according to dating website eHarmony. But there are still risks involved, and those can be higher or lower depending on where you live.
Researchers from HighSpeedInternet.com conducted a survey to determine which of the states are safest and which are most dangerous in terms of online dating. They looked at recent stats on violent crime, cybercrime statistics, STD data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as sex education data.
Based on this data, the riskiest state for online dating is Alaska. According to the report, Anchorage is one of the most dangerous cities in the U.S. and has a high rate of STDs. Rounding off the top five most dangerous states for online dating are Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia and Nevada.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the safest states are, in order, Vermont, West Virginia, New Hampshire, Maine and Utah. Each of these states scored low in cybercrime, violent crime and STDs, making them far less risky when it comes to online dating.
When it comes to emerging risks, researchers noted that catfishing was becoming an increasingly prominent danger in the online dating realm, with Americans reportedly having lost $230 million to catfishers in 2018 alone. Cheating was another factor that users need to keep in mind.
According to the report, around 22% of Tinder profiles are already in a committed romantic relationship. Researchers urged online dating users to be vigilant and to note any warning signs.
"There are some creeps, predators, and scammers out there," they noted.
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