The Worst Online Dating Sites

Online dating has become hugely popular, especially during the pandemic. The statistics show that more than 40 million people use online dating websites. Social distancing and masks don’t make it easy to get to know someone. Thankfully, there are dozens of online dating sites to choose from. However, you also need to know which ones are the most dangerous dating sites and which to stay away from.

What is Online Dating?

Online dating services consist of various websites and online dating apps where app users can search for a mate. They can scroll through potential partners and, if interested, contact the person through text, email, or phone. Some platforms now offer video calls as well, so you can have virtual face-to-face dates before getting together in real life.

When signing up for an online dating site, you are asked to enter certain information. Like Match.com, eHarmony, Grindr, Bumble, Plenty of Fish, and Hinge, some sites ask a lot of questions to fill out a psychological dating profile to match you up with the best possible candidates.

Some sites and apps are designed for quick interactions or hookups, and others are geared toward helping you find the love of your life and meeting people to find a permanent partner.

The Dangers of Online Dating

According to Stanford University, 39% of heterosexual American couples met online in 2019. The figure is inching closer to the halfway mark, and as more individuals use online dating sites, the dangers increase. Predators view online dating sites as the perfect hunting ground to find victims.

Some of the inherent dangers of online dating include:

• Roughly 1 in 10 user profiles are fake (catfishing).
• Sex offenders use online dating sites to groom and find victims.
• Online dating is linked to an increase of six times the number of sexual assaults.

The Absolute Worst Online Dating Sites & Apps

There are dozens of online dating sites in all flavors and colors. Basically, there is something for everyone. However, many people may be turned off by specific themes and a lack of security or privacy. When choosing the best dating site to use, try to stay away from these ones.

Sugar Daddy for Me

Sugar Daddy for Me is pretty much what it sounds like. The site boasts of being “The website for men who love to spoil and pamper their woman. The website for women who admire men for their accomplishments and what they have been able to achieve in life.” The dangers here are a setup for an obvious power structure that may sound ideal in fantasy but may not work well in the real world. Basically, Sugar Daddy for Me is soft-core prostitution and in our opinion one of the worst dating sites around.

Ugly Schmucks

For anyone who feels unattractive, there is the website Ugly Schmucks which is wrong on so many levels. The site is geared toward those individuals with low self-esteem to help find them mates. The danger here is why promote a feeling of unattractiveness and low self-esteem? There are so many other sites that don’t start you off feeling bad about yourself. Ugly Schmucks is one of the worst dating websites you can visit.

Beautiful People

The other side of that coin is Beautiful People which celebrates physical beauty and exploits it in the form of a dating app. If all you care about is perfectly tanned skin, freshly coiffed hair, and a sculptured face and body, then this might be the one for you. Don’t expect any quality connections from this dating website though. Beautiful People tops our list of bad dating sites.

Delightful

Perhaps a throw-back to the 1940’s men may appreciate the male-dominant themes of Delightful, but women may not. The self-proclaimed spin-off of Match.com says it caters “primarily to women, but also to men with a womanly interest in settling down.” They also offer dating advice to women, such as “how to become more dateable,” but men don’t seem to need the same coaching. Delightful is another one of the worst dating sites around because it warps human perceptions into something dangerous.

Tinder

Tinder is known as a quick hookup app. Not that some successful couples haven’t found each other in the fray and created lasting connections. However, the basic principle of Tinder is a quick sexual hookup. This leaves you vulnerable to sex offenders, scammers, and other predators. Tinder falls under the category of dangerous dating sites to avoid.

Luxy

Luxy is a tinder-style app for rich people. So, if you want the same experience but at a 5-star hotel, then Luxy is your app. The CEO explained it as “It works just like Tinder… [with] one big exception: Our app allows users to weed out the poor and unattractive.” Enough said. Luxy is again one of the worst online dating sites for so many reasons.

OkCupid

OkCupid was cited for unethical practices and conducting social experiments on its users. You cannot trust the information on this site and could be matched up with problemed individuals, scammers, or worse. We consider OkCupid another on the long list of dangerous dating sites to avoid.

How to Stay Safe When Online Dating

• Before meeting anyone in person, use a public records search tool to ensure they are real and who they claim to be. Plenty of online daters uses fake profiles. When trolling the online dating world, always be on the lookout for dating scams.
• Protect your personal information at all costs (enter as few personal details as possible in your profile). Never list your home address on dating platforms or social media.
• Thoroughly research each dating website and read reviews. Avoid those that are clearly bad dating sites.
• Always meet your potential date in a public place and let someone else know where you will be.
• While on your first date, keep an eye on your food and drink to make sure no one puts anything in them.
• Trust your instincts, and if you have a bad “feeling,” leave, and have an escape plan ready. Watch out for any red flags.