Dating app dangers are everywhere - How to protect yourself and find a match
You may not be looking for love online, but many people are. Tinder says about 40% of couples meet via apps. Whoa.
There are lots of happily-ever-afters, but for some, dating apps are a complete nightmare. Let’s take a look at the dark underbelly of dating apps.
Dating disasters
There are countless stories (Mother Jones paywall link). A 21-year-old named Laura matched with a guy on Bumble and Tinder. She rejected him, he went off the rails, so she researched his phone number. He wasn’t a hot 22-year-old as his profile showed, but a 55-year-old registered sex offender.
A woman in Milwaukee went on a date with a guy she met on Match. She woke up confused the following day, not remembering what happened. Her car was gone, there were $800 in charges on her debit card and she was likely drugged. As if that’s not enough, the man is currently a “person of interest” in a murder case.
Aspiring actor Matthew Herrick was accosted by 1,1000 men, some of whom even broke into his apartment building and showed up at his workplace. He never actually matched with these people. Herrick’s ex created a bunch of fake dating profiles on Grindr using his name and pictures — which was easy since the app didn’t require any verification.
The dirty details
These stories aren’t unique and happen to more people than you’d think. A recent Pew Research survey shows:
- 38% of online daters received an unwanted sexually explicit message.
- 30% continued to receive contact from someone after they told them they weren’t interested.
- 24% were called an offensive name.
- 6% of users experienced a threat of physical harm.
Don’t forget about scammers: 52% of users believe they’ve encountered at least one scam — 63% of men under 50 and 44% of women of any age.
A safe search for love
Looking for love online today comes with a warning, but you don’t have to throw in the towel. Practice these tips to find your new sweetie safely:
Inside Perplexity AI, the search chatbot that could beat Google
For years now, I’ve predicted that someday, somehow, someone would create a search tool that would rival Google. Some say it’s already happened with ChatGPT. But it’s loaded with problems.
I’m betting that history is about to repeat itself with a small AI search website with only 40 employees operating out of a small shared office in San Francisco … kinda like the early days of Google.
Win the house-hunting game with foreclosure-finding apps
In my spare time, I am a bit of a horse trader in real estate. I have purchased and sold over 20 commercial buildings and homes at all price points. I’ve used realtors and sold properties myself. I’ve bought foreclosures and short sales. I’ve remodeled homes and purchased spec homes. I just completed building a new home on a lot that I eyeballed for 10 years. It’s my hobby.
Before you use the Flip app, know these downsides
Savvy internet surfers like us ignore those obnoxious “Claim Now” pop-up ads that promise free gift cards. We’re better than that. But there’s a new shopping app that I have been getting a slew of questions about whether it’s a good way to make some extra cash. So, I decided to check it out for you.
Life after death: AI chatbots bringing lost loved ones back
This weekend on my national radio show, I’m chatting with the co-founder and CEO of a company called StoryFile Life, Stephen Smith. I couldn’t wait to tell you more about what they’re doing — and the other companies doing something similar.
Google's new Gemini-powered Bard raises privacy eyebrows
It’s been about a year since OpenAI launched ChatGPT. Now, everyone’s in a race to make their AI tech bigger and better. This week, Google announced significant developments in its Bard chatbot and it’s coming in guns blazing.
Trust winter forecasts again with the top 4 most accurate weather apps
Over the weekend, 10 million Americans across 11 states were under winter weather alerts. Yep, it’s that time of year already.
If your weather “forecasts” — quotation marks intentional — feel useless, I’ve got something you should know: Weather apps pull information from different data networks, and those networks vary in quality as reported by orgs like ForecastAdvisor. Some even vary by region of the U.S. I’ll show you the best to use depending on where you live.
Temu class-action lawsuit: Is the cheap shopping app worth downloading? (No!)
I saw this coming. I’ve been warning about the shopping app Temu since April when its sister app, Pinduoduo, was caught planting malware. It was spying on other apps, reading notifications and messages, and even changing settings.
Guide: How to use AI to create your own website in a few minutes
Does thinking of creating your own website conjure visions of tech jargon and coding mysteries? Well, fear not because the future of website building is here.
So many of you have called or emailed me asking for help getting your business, side hustle or hobby online. Let’s look at the AI website builder Hostinger so I can show you how easy it is these days. Seriously, the example site I whipped up took under 10 minutes.
ChatGPT pro tips: How to get better-branded copy, social media posts and marketing materials
I read a stat that blew me away. HubSpot surveyed marketers and 78% say the industry changed more in the past three years than in the last five decades.
I agree, and it’s even more challenging to stay up to date with how much there is on all our plates. That’s where AI comes in.
One-click cleanup: This free app deletes your digital history
Asking all the companies you interact with to protect your data sounds like a never-ending game of Whac-A-Mole. Who has that kind of time or energy? Thankfully, a new app will do it for ya.
The Permission Slip app was created by Consumer Reports (so you know it’s good!). It contacts companies on your behalf to ensure your personal info isn’t sold to third parties, aka anyone willing to pay for it. They can even get your data erased for you.
How to spot an AI-generated image: Tips, tricks and pro tools
In a world where AI is spreading faster than rumors at a family barbeque, sussing out authentic images from digital imposters has become trickier than ever. First, we battled Photoshop, and now we can’t even trust if the person we’re looking at is real!
AI fakes are everywhere – How to spot them
Tom Hanks isn’t trying to sell you a dental plan. YouTuber MrBeast won’t give you an iPhone 15. CBS News host Gayle King isn’t recommending a weight-loss product.
I knew this stage of AI tomfoolery was coming, but it’s still surprising how fast it’s happening. Let’s take a closer look at how free and cheap tools fuel fraud — and the signs to watch for.
Delete these apps - They all have ties to Communist China
Remember when the Chinese spy balloon floated across our country? That was just insane. With apps on our phones, the Chinese government doesn’t need to be so blatant about stealing our secrets.
If you’ve been around me at all for the last year, you already know that I am no great fan of the data tracking done by TikTok and Temu. Guess what? They’re not the only apps.
The best apps to see where a flight is and when it’s landing
Let’s be honest. No one loves picking up someone from the airport. If you’ve been chosen for this task, take it as a badge of honor. It means you’re a trusted friend.
But trusted or not, it doesn’t mean you need to be stuck there waiting to know where they are. Sick of circling or whiling away time in the cell phone lot? You’re going to love this.
Hidden apps on your smartphone and how to find them
There’s a slew of features baked into smartphones most people don’t know about. Tap or click here for my favorites, from seeing where a plane overhead is going to quickly delete your last few searches.
Some of the most valuable tricks are hiding in your phone’s accessibility menu. These features make things easier for folks with vision, hearing, and motor impairments. Tap or click for 10 handy accessibility settings anyone can use.
Check your phone! Apps caught sending data to China
Another day, another bad app. Cybersecurity researchers at Pradeo spotted two apps in the Google Play Store collecting and sending data straight to malicious servers based in China. Combined, they have 1.5 million downloads. Is one on your phone?
Hidden Google Maps features to save you time and money
Have an older car? You don’t want to shell out for a brand-new one — especially not in this economy. Here are 10 upgrades to revamp your ride.
It’s getting warmer, and you’re probably itching to hit the road. With gas prices still high, who doesn’t want to save money? And while you’re at it, getting to your destination faster would be nice, wouldn’t it?
PSA: Stop sharing your phone’s address book with apps that ask for it
Whether posting a headshot on your LinkedIn profile or uploading a photo to your favorite social media platform, you want to look your best. Anybody can use a camera, but it takes some practice to take a good shot. Tap or click here for five simple tricks to look better in family photos and selfies.
The true cost of cash advance apps
Need money to pay bills in a pinch? Many rely on cash advance apps to make it to their next check. While these services offer a helping hand, you could wind up in a jam if you’re not careful.
A recent study took a deep dive into 15 of today’s most popular cash advance apps. The scoop? An advance might cost more than you bargained (or budgeted) for.