As the digital world continues to expand in Punita Nagar-Vaidya, a recent report is drawing attention. The survey was conducted by Julio, an exclusive singles club in partnership with global public opinion company YouGov. This survey profiles over 1,000 singles from the top 8 Indian cities to understand the ongoing trends in Indian matchmaking. A startling conclusion of this survey has come out. According to this survey report, 78 percent of female respondents have encountered fake profiles on dating or matrimony apps. The survey also revealed that 48 percent of the survey respondents felt that mental health was being harmed by such apps. 82 percent of women who participated in the survey feel that government ID verification is required for dating or matrimonial platforms, underscoring the importance of identity verification for security. This is something that governments should probably insist on making mandatory in light of the scams on these apps. Dating and matrimonial apps have revolutionized the way people form and maintain relationships due to increasing digitization in an ever-changing world. This platform overcomes traditional barriers like geographical distance and social barriers. It also connects like-minded partners with each other. It provides a convenient and intuitive interface for meeting modern singles and potential partners. However, this platform, which seems perfect at first sight, faces many problems. One of the biggest of these problems is fake profiles. There are numerous profiles on matrimonial websites out of which it is often difficult to distinguish which is genuine or fake and which is fake. However, instead of depriving yourself of the benefits of matrimonial websites due to this fear, a little vigilance can be used to avoid the magic of fake profiles. Basic Information Verification Before creating an ID on standard matrimonial sites, basic information has to be provided. Many matrimonial sites have made it necessary to upload government documents like Aadhaar card. This also reduces the chances of someone creating a fake profile. If you don't see correct information on a profile, don't contact that person. If someone has given you information about themselves, check it carefully. You can also check the information provided about that person on social media platforms. Selfie verification help to find fake profile you should use selfie verification app available on matrimonial site. Selfie verification app in this app checks the fake profile of a person with the documents uploaded on the government website and through it you can also know if the profile is fake or not. Check Professional Network People who create fake accounts on matrimonial websites constantly make some changes to their profiles. In such a situation, one needs to be careful while checking the profile. Also if you get information about that person's company and by checking there you can also find out if that profile is fake or not. Look carefully at the profile picture Matrimony profiles must have a profile picture of the boy or girl. Accounts that do not have photos should be kept away from. It is more likely that such an account is fake. If there is a photograph, check whether the age mentioned in the account matches it. If not, ask the account holder why? This way you can avoid fraud. Clear Communication Required When creating a profile on a matrimonial Website, it is desirable for anyone to share important information about themselves. Check out such important information while searching for a partner on the Site. If you find such information missing or incomplete, then proceed with caution. Frequent editing is dangerous According to research conducted on a matrimonial website, people who create fake accounts update their profiles frequently. If you feel that the person in front of you is often changing his cast, hobby, profession, then understand that he is hiding something from you and trying to divert your attention. When the right people don't. So monitor frequent profile updates and stay away from such accounts. Demanding money There have been many incidents in the past where people have been duped by someone they met online or through a matrimonial site. If someone you met through a matrimonial site demands money from you, you should stay away from him. Such scams are very common. When someone puts a lot of pressure on you Sometimes people who create accounts on matrimonial sites do not have good intentions, they want to leave the site as soon as possible after their dirty intentions are fulfilled. So, they start forcing the other person to meet or do according to their needs. If you have met someone on a matrimonial site who is not giving you time or space. If someone repeatedly asks you to meet without giving necessary personal information, it is better for you to distance yourself from that person. How to choose the right matrimony site? Á Metremo website URL should be safe and secure. Á Also check the success rate of this site. If someone in your circle uses a matrimony website, ask them for information. Á Do not take membership without thorough investigation. Á Secure sites that have been around for years can be trusted. Nowadays, information about new matrimonial websites appear on social media every day, so don't trust any new site too soon. Á Websites that apply multiple filters for verification may be more trustworthy. Á Matrimony sites offer the option to keep your identity private as you wish. Á Communication in matrimony sites should be simple so that there is no confusion.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
Cover story: Timely vigilance to avoid fake profile trap of matrimony apps
