Online dating is now more popular than it ever was. Along with its popularity come some issues, one of them being underage dating. While it is not a new issue, the online dating world can be a scary and new world for an underage person to be navigating alone during their vulnerable phases.
Many online dating sites try to prevent underage users from signing up on their websites and regularly remove any minors who provide false credentials. While most online dating site users admit they have lied on their profiles, not all of them have shady motives. It can be difficult to track down minors and make the place a more secure one for everyone involved.
Here are 5 ways to know if you are chatting with or messaging an underage user on a dating website. If you encounter any of these do the right thing and report the profile right away. Stay safe and happy.
- If your new online friend says they are a minor or are underage then believe them. Report their profile, block them and move on.
- If the person has a birth date or an email address that seems to suggest they are underage then you are probably better staying far away from them. Report the profile before moving on
- If they acknowledge that they have to live within parental rules or that they live with their parents there is a good chance they are underage. Report, and move on.
- If a user has a picture of them wearing a school uniform or something that suggests that they are in school then they probably are. You know what to do by now, report, block their profile and move on.
- Sometimes a user may not explicitly state they are underage but it can be obvious in conversation or the things they are interested in. In such a scenario it may be a good idea to ask them their birth date before reporting their profile.
Remember that reporting an underage user is not just for their safety but your own too, the last thing you want to do is to be involved with a minor and get into trouble with the law. Stay safe and happy online dating folks.
