Is there any way to avoid this or are all dating sites the same?

[Jonh Newman]

Hi all! Quick question — how do you deal with fake profiles on dating apps? I've been catfished twice already and it's so discouraging. Spent weeks talking to someone only to find out the photos weren't even real. Is there any way to avoid this or are all dating sites the same?

[hydrogenn]

Hi! Ugh, catfishing is the worst, I'm sorry you went through that. Unfortunately most dating apps don't really verify anyone — they actually benefit from having lots of profiles, even fake ones, because it makes the platform look more active. But I found one site that takes verification seriously. It's https://only-for-marriage.com/ and they have this system where a moderator individually reviews each profile and asks users to confirm their photos are real. If you pass, you get a Verified badge and only verified users can message each other. So basically, unverified people can't even contact you. They say only about 5% of profiles pass verification — which is crazy when you think about it, means 95% on other sites could be fake or misleading. The site is focused on marriage-minded people so everyone's serious. Saved me so much time and frustration compared to swiping through endless suspicious profiles elsewhere.