FREE · 12 APPS · SOURCED

What does your dating app actually verify?

Dating apps advertise a range of safety tools, including photo checks, scam detection and reporting. Below is what each one actually publishes, and the one thing none of them can do: tell you whether a real, verified person is being honest with you.

The short answer

Dating-app photo verification can help check whether a selfie matches profile photos. It does not guarantee identity or honest intentions. Safety features differ by app and region, and a video call or meeting cannot certify trust. Use the app’s reporting tools, protect personal information and do not send money or try an investment because a match asks you to.

Safety guidance corrected 6 October 2026. The dataset review date and deposited version below are unchanged.

What each dating app checks

Tinder

Match Group app

Verification
Photo Verification runs a video selfie through a “liveness check” and matches it to your profile photos for a “Photo Verified” badge; Tinder's help centre says the facial geometry captured “may be considered ‘biometric information’ in some places.” ID verification is offered separately, and Face Check™ asks for a biometric scan with a video selfie “in regions where required” — Tinder's own present-tense wording. (Re-verified on Tinder's help centre 11 Aug 2026.)
ID checked?
Yes, and it is separate from the selfie badge. Tinder documents "ID + Photo Verification" as its own flow, and Face Check™ asks for a biometric video selfie "in regions where required".
Two-factor on the account
No account-level two-factor setting is documented. The SMS code is the login method itself, not a second factor layered on top of a password. Tinder does publish security certifications: it states it is the first dating app recognised to ISO 27001:2022, ISO 27017:2015 and ISO 27701:2019.Tinder — Security at Tinder (ISO certifications) · Tinder — ID + Photo Verification · Tinder — Photo Check and Photo Verification data and privacy information
What happens to the data
Tinder publishes a full schedule across its Photo Check privacy page and its Face Check FAQ. The video selfie is assessed and then "promptly deleted". The facial geometry taken from it (the "FaceMap") and the unique number derived from it (the "FaceVector") are "retained for the lifetime of your account, and are deleted from our systems within 30 days of account closure", unless a legal obligation or a safety need requires longer. Two audit images and the pass or fail result are kept until 90 days after the account closes, or one year if the account is banned. An account that never completes Photo Check is closed after two years. (Re-verified on Tinder's own pages 31 Aug 2026.)Tinder — Photo Check data and privacy information · Tinder — Face Check Scan FAQ
Anti-scam AI
“Are You Sure?” uses AI to prompt a sender to reconsider a harmful message before it's sent; “Does This Bother You?” prompts the recipient and makes reporting easier.
Background check
No. The Garbo background-check partnership launched on Tinder in March 2022 and ended in August 2023; Match Group said it was in talks with alternate providers, and no replacement has been announced since (checked July 2026).Match Group — Garbo Launches Background Check Platform To Public and On Tinder (9 Mar 2022) · TechCrunch — Match Group's background check partner Garbo ends its partnership (17 Aug 2023)
Report & block
In-app block and report flow, plus a Safety Center.
The gap
Face Check and Photo Verification confirm a live face that matches the photos — not the person's intentions, and not what happens once the chat moves to WhatsApp or Telegram.
Source: Tinder — How does Photo Verification work?

Bumble

Bumble Inc.

Verification
AI photo verification matches a video selfie to your profile photos and grants a verified badge; Bumble was an early adopter of the approach.
ID checked?
Yes, run by the third-party provider Veriff, which compares a selfie to an ID document. Photo Verification itself is mandatory in the USA.
Two-factor on the account
No account-level two-factor setting is documented. Bumble verifies an email address, requires a phone number so members cannot hold multiple accounts, and sends an SMS one-time password to authenticate. That is the login, not an added factor.Bumble — Verifying your photos · Bumble — Verifying with your ID · Bumble — Privacy Policy
What happens to the data
The most specific retention limits published by any app in this index. Biometric scans are kept only as long as needed and never longer than three years after the member's last interaction, after which Bumble says it takes reasonable steps to delete them permanently. For ID checks, Veriff deletes the selfie, the ID photo and the biometric data after the comparison, generally within 72 hours and never longer than 30 days. Members who do not want facial recognition used can request a manual review instead.
Anti-scam AI
Deception Detector, launched in 2024, uses AI plus human moderation to catch spam, scam and fake profiles before members see them — Bumble reported it helped block 95% of such accounts automatically. Private Detector blurs unsolicited nude images, and members can report AI-generated profile photos.
Background check
Not found. No background-check programme appears in the safety documentation reviewed for this app (see source). This records the public documentation only — it is not a finding that no checks occur.
Report & block
In-app block and report flow, plus a safety hub.
The gap
Deception Detector filters accounts that pattern-match as fake or spam — a real person running a long con from a genuine-looking account can still pass, and the money ask moves off-platform.
Source: Bumble — Deception Detector

Hinge

Match Group app

Verification
Selfie Verification pairs a Liveness Check (a real, live person) with 3D Face Authentication (a facial match to your profile photos) and grants a badge; facial-geometry data is deleted within 24 hours.
ID checked?
Yes, and it can be compulsory. After an Age Check, a member may be prompted to complete an ID Verification Check to confirm they are 18, and Hinge states that if you are presented with an ID check you must complete it to keep using the service.
Two-factor on the account
Not found. No account-level two-factor setting appears in the documentation reviewed. This records the public documentation only.Hinge — Age Checks at Hinge · Hinge — Face Check™ Scan
What happens to the data
Two very different windows, depending on which check runs. Selfie Verification deletes facial-geometry data within 24 hours, and Hinge deletes the government ID data you provide within 30 days of submission unless continued retention is required by law. The newer biometric Face Check keeps considerably more: the video selfie is "promptly deleted", but the FaceMap and FaceVector are "retained for the lifetime of an account, and are deleted within 30 days of account closure", together with three audit images and an age estimate. (Re-verified on Hinge's own pages 31 Aug 2026.)Hinge — What is Selfie Verification · Hinge — Face Check Scan
Anti-scam AI
No Hinge-specific named AI scam-detector; it relies on shared Match Group moderation and its published “Safe Dating Advice.”
Background check
No. The Match Group Garbo partnership ended in August 2023 and no replacement has been announced since (checked July 2026).Match Group — Garbo Launches Background Check Platform To Public and On Tinder (9 Mar 2022) · TechCrunch — Match Group's background check partner Garbo ends its partnership (17 Aug 2023)
Report & block
In-app block and report flow, plus Safe Dating Advice.
The gap
Hinge says it plainly itself: verification confirms identity and liveness, and “doesn't guarantee the safety of a particular user.”
Source: Hinge — What is Selfie Verification?

Match.com

Match Group app

Verification
SMS Verification confirms a real phone number (landline and VOIP numbers are rejected) for a phone-icon badge; Photo Verification matches a selfie to your submitted photos via facial recognition. Match states a “verified profile cannot fully guarantee the integrity of the member.”
ID checked?
Not found in the documentation reviewed. Match documents SMS and photo verification, not a government-ID check.
Two-factor on the account
Not found. SMS Verification confirms control of a phone number and grants a profile badge; it is a badge, not a second factor protecting the account at login. This records the public documentation only.
What happens to the data
Not found. No retention period for verification or biometric data appears in the pages reviewed. This records the public documentation only.
Anti-scam AI
Automated scans of profiles and messages for red-flag language and fraudulent accounts, manual review of suspicious profiles, and a safety partnership with RAINN.
Background check
No. The Match Group Garbo partnership ended in August 2023 and no replacement has been announced since (checked July 2026).Match Group — Garbo Launches Background Check Platform To Public and On Tinder (9 Mar 2022) · TechCrunch — Match Group's background check partner Garbo ends its partnership (17 Aug 2023)
Report & block
In-app block and report, plus a safety help center.
The gap
Verification confirms a phone or a photo; when background checks existed they searched only U.S. public records — neither catches an overseas scammer with a real-looking verified selfie and no U.S. record.
Source: Match — Keeping you safe on Match

eharmony

Verification
SMS Verification confirms your identity via a text message and grants an “SMS Verified” badge.
ID checked?
RelyID, an identity-verification product sold separately rather than included. It is a paid add-on, not a default check applied to every account.
Two-factor on the account
⭐ Yes, and it is the only app in this index that documents true account-level two-factor authentication. eharmony sends a 4-digit verification code to the email address on the profile whenever a login is attempted from an unrecognised device or browser, and publishes dedicated help pages for setting it up and troubleshooting it.eharmony — What is Two Factor Authentication? · eharmony — Two Factor Authentication Troubleshooting · eharmony — What is RelyID?
What happens to the data
Not found. No retention period for verification data appears in the help pages reviewed. This records the public documentation only.
Anti-scam AI
eharmony says it combines “industry-leading technology and human review” through its Trust & Safety Team, alongside member flagging; it does not name a specific AI anti-scam product.
Background check
Not found. No background-check programme appears in the safety documentation reviewed for this app (see source). This records the public documentation only — it is not a finding that no checks occur.
Report & block
Report or flag suspicious profiles and block; guidance to report suspicious “eharmony” emails rather than click links in them.
The gap
SMS verification only proves control of a phone number — it says nothing about who the person is or whether they are honest with you.
Source: eharmony — What's SMS Verification?

OkCupid

Match Group app

Verification
Photo Verification uses one video selfie with a Liveness Check and 3D Face Authentication to grant verified status; biometric templates are deleted within 24 hours. OkCupid states that “no online photo verification or background screening process is foolproof, nor can it guarantee that a person is safe.”
ID checked?
Not found in the documentation reviewed. OkCupid documents the shared Match Group video-selfie check, not a government-ID check.
Two-factor on the account
Not found. No account-level two-factor setting appears in the documentation reviewed. This records the public documentation only.
What happens to the data
Biometric templates are deleted within 24 hours. OkCupid says the facial-geometry template is retained only for the duration of the verification and is then "permanently purged from its systems and can no longer be retrieved". It does not run the Face Check flow that keeps a FaceMap for the life of the account on Tinder and Hinge, so there is no single Match Group retention standard to cite. (Re-verified 31 Aug 2026.)OkCupid — How does Photo Verification work?
Anti-scam AI
No OkCupid-specific named AI scam-detector beyond shared Match Group moderation and scanning.
Background check
No. The Match Group Garbo partnership ended in August 2023 and no replacement has been announced since (checked July 2026).Match Group — Garbo Launches Background Check Platform To Public and On Tinder (9 Mar 2022) · TechCrunch — Match Group's background check partner Garbo ends its partnership (17 Aug 2023)
Report & block
In-app block and report, plus a safety help center.
The gap
As across the Match Group family, it confirms a live face matching the photos — not honesty — and the safety tools stop when the chat moves off-app.
Source: OkCupid — How does Photo Verification work?

Plenty of Fish

Match Group app

Verification
As a Match Group app, Plenty of Fish uses the group's video-selfie verification technology; a verified badge indicates a matched selfie.
ID checked?
Not found in the documentation reviewed.
Two-factor on the account
Not found. No account-level two-factor setting appears in the documentation reviewed. This records the public documentation only.
What happens to the data
Not found. Plenty of Fish runs on shared Match Group verification technology, but there is no single family figure to inherit: OkCupid purges its template within 24 hours while Tinder and Hinge retain a FaceMap for the life of the account. No retention period can be attributed to Plenty of Fish itself. This records the public documentation only.
Anti-scam AI
Shared Match Group content monitoring and message filtering, plus in-app reporting.
Background check
No. The Match Group Garbo partnership ended in August 2023 and no replacement has been announced since (checked July 2026).Match Group — Garbo Launches Background Check Platform To Public and On Tinder (9 Mar 2022) · TechCrunch — Match Group's background check partner Garbo ends its partnership (17 Aug 2023)
Report & block
In-app block and report flow.
The gap
Like the rest of the Match Group family, a verified badge confirms a live face, not honest intent — and no dating app sells “verified accounts” or charges a “verification fee” through a third party, so any such offer is itself a scam.
Source: Match Group — Trust & Safety

Grindr

Grindr Inc.

Verification
SMS Verification confirms a real phone number. Grindr does not offer a face or selfie verified-badge system; it leans on moderation instead.
ID checked?
No. Verification is SMS only, so no government ID and no face check.
Two-factor on the account
No account-level two-factor setting is documented, but Grindr is the only app in this index that publishes a PIN Lock plus biometric app lock. That protects the app if somebody gets hold of an unlocked phone, which is a different threat from account takeover and one no other app here addresses.Grindr — Keeping your Grindr account secure · Grindr — In-app privacy features
What happens to the data
Grindr states it generally retains data for as long as the account is active, and gives every user automated access to a portable copy of what is stored. Screenshot blocking applies to time-expiring photos, albums and profiles.
Anti-scam AI
Proactive machine-learning models plus text and image hash-detection, backed by a 24/7 moderation team, and a published Scam Awareness Guide and Safety Tips.
Background check
Not found. No background-check programme appears in the safety documentation reviewed for this app (see source). This records the public documentation only — it is not a finding that no checks occur.
Report & block
Block or report via the profile menu — note that reporting does not automatically block — plus a dedicated Scam Awareness Guide.
The gap
With SMS-only verification and no biometric check, a scammer with a working number and a fresh account faces a lower identity bar; Grindr's own guide warns the tell is being pushed to a fake “security app” site, or asked for a verification code you didn't request.
Source: Grindr — Scam awareness guide

Duet

WINK TECH LIMITED — the college-marketed newcomer

Verification
Enforced selfie face verification: a face scan started from the Profile page is matched to the account and grants a blue checkmark badge. Duet describes the system as “as reliable as banking security” — its claim, not an independent audit. Notably, despite marketing itself heavily to college students, Duet publishes no student or university-email verification.
ID checked?
No. Verification is a selfie face scan matched to the account; no government ID is requested, and despite the college marketing there is no student-email check either.
Two-factor on the account
Not found. No account-level two-factor setting appears in the documentation reviewed. This records the public documentation only.
What happens to the data
Duet's privacy policy carries a "Retention and Deletion" section. Verification photos and videos are "retained for the lifetime of your account so we can continue to verify new and updated profile photos", and are deleted when the account data is deleted. The face geometry itself is generated each time verification runs and is "not retained as a persistent biometric template after processing", unless a legal obligation or a safety and security need requires otherwise. (Corrected 1 Sep 2026: the earlier entry read the safety page rather than the privacy policy, and recorded an absence that is not there.)Duet — Privacy Policy (Retention and Deletion) · Duet — Safety
Anti-scam AI
No named AI scam-detector. Duet publishes a 24/7 human moderation team “tackling any scam reports swiftly,” a zero-tolerance policy on fake photos and fraud, and community guidelines that explicitly prohibit fraudulent attempts, including soliciting private or financial details.
Background check
Not found. No background-check programme appears in the safety documentation reviewed for this app (see source). This records the public documentation only — it is not a finding that no checks occur.
Report & block
Report & Block from any profile or message thread (··· menu). Reports are anonymous, screenshots are encouraged, reported accounts are hidden from your feed, and the reporter is notified of the outcome. Reportable categories include financial solicitations. A published Safety Tips page covers the basics: never share financial details, vet before moving off-platform, meet in public.
The gap
The blue badge confirms a live face — not a student, and not honest intent. For an app aimed at college users, there is no .edu check behind the campus branding, and the “banking security” framing describes the face-match only; the scams that matter start after verification, in the chat.
Source: Duet — Safety Tips

Feeld

Feeld Ltd — the open-minded / non-monogamy segment

Verification
Photo Verification is optional. You pick one of your profile photos and take a live selfie, which a third-party verification partner matches to it biometrically, and an approved match puts a Verified badge beside your name, on the verified photo and in the photo gallery bar. Feeld is explicit that it does not ask for ID or personal information for this check.
ID checked?
No, not for the profile badge; Feeld states plainly that photo verification does not ask for ID. Age verification is run separately and only in specific locations.
Two-factor on the account
Not found as a Feeld setting. Feeld offers five ways to sign in, including Apple, and Apple's own two-factor requirement applies to the Apple ID rather than to the Feeld account. This records the public documentation only.Feeld — Verify a profile photo so members know you're real · Feeld — Age verification for specific locations
What happens to the data
Feeld states it does not store any personal data submitted during the verification process, except where that data already exists on the account.
Anti-scam AI
No named AI scam-detector. Feeld publishes Blur protection, which automatically hides unsolicited nude images, and says its Safety Team is available worldwide 24/7 and responds to reports with guidance. Privacy controls include Incognito mode, screenshot prevention, and photos or videos that can be timed or made viewable only once.
Background check
Not found. No background-check programme appears in the safety documentation reviewed for this app (see source). This records the public documentation only — it is not a finding that no checks occur.
Report & block
Report unsafe content through the Help Center, plus in-app blocking.
The gap
Feeld says what the badge means and it is narrow: photo verification confirms a member's likeness to their photos. It asks for no ID at all, so a verified badge here proves the face is live and matches, and nothing about who that person is.
Source: Feeld — Your safety and privacy

PURE

Pure App — the anonymous hookup segment

Verification
A selfie video is reviewed for accuracy and likeness against the profile photos, and an approved check puts a verification badge on the profile. Pure states no ID is required for it and that it costs the user no anonymity. Verified members are prioritised in discovery.
ID checked?
Yes, but for AGE rather than identity-matching, and only in the United Kingdom, where it has run since July 2025. Pure's partner Veriff performs an in-app face-scan age estimation with no image upload, and only escalates to a photo ID plus selfie if additional confirmation is needed.
Two-factor on the account
Not found. No account-level two-factor setting appears in the security documentation reviewed. This records the public documentation only.Pure — Age verification launch, Veriff partnership (14 Oct 2025) · Pure — Photo Verification rollout
What happens to the data
Pure's privacy policy sets out the retention rules the earlier entry pointed at without reading. Biometric data collected for Photo Verification is "permanently deleted" when the account is deleted, and if the process is cancelled before it completes "no biometric data related to this process will be retained". Data from an unsuccessful attempt is still held for as long as the stated purposes require. For identity checks run through Veriff, Pure records that session data "may be retained for 7 days in active storage and then for up to 3 months in secure archive". Members in US states with biometric privacy laws are additionally covered by Pure's separate Biometric Data Privacy Policy. (Corrected 1 Sep 2026.)Pure — Privacy Policy (biometric data, Veriff retention) · Pure — Biometric Data Privacy Policy
Anti-scam AI
A mix of automated systems and manual review by the safety team, with suspicious accounts suspended and manually reviewed within 24 hours. Explicit images in chat are blurred until tapped, screenshots are blocked and both participants are notified if capture is attempted, and photos can be set to destroy immediately after viewing. Safety Signal lets a member share their location and their date's photos with a trusted contact.
Background check
Not found. No background-check programme appears in the safety documentation reviewed for this app (see source). This records the public documentation only — it is not a finding that no checks occur.
Report & block
Report from the feed or a chat with named categories including Fake profile and Scam or fraud, plus blocking, after which the member disappears from the feed.
The gap
Pure states the limit of its own screenshot blocking better than most: although screenshots are prevented, a scammer can still photograph the screen with a second device. The photo badge confirms likeness, and the ID step exists to prove age in one country, not to prove who somebody is anywhere else.
Source: PURE — Safety and Privacy

SCRUFF

Perry Street Software — the gay / queer hookup segment

Verification
Pose-based rather than a static selfie. SCRUFF shows you a pose, asks you to copy it with your camera, and repeats that twice, then matches the result against your main profile photo; an approved check puts a verified badge next to your profile name. Requests fail if the poses do not match the main photo or do not include a clear face.
ID checked?
No. Verification is the pose-and-photo match; no government ID is requested for it.
Two-factor on the account
Not found. No account-level two-factor setting appears in the documentation reviewed. This records the public documentation only.SCRUFF — Profile verification · SCRUFF — Screenshot and personal content protection
What happens to the data
The verification help page says nothing on the subject, but the operator, Perry Street Software, publishes a dedicated Notice and Consent to Process Biometric Data with a section headed "Retention". Biometric data may be kept "as long as is necessary or relevant for our use of these verification services", and the service provider is instructed to "permanently destroy" it once the purpose for collecting it has been satisfied, when a member asks for deletion, or earlier where the law requires. That is a rule rather than a fixed period, comparable to Grindr's. (Corrected 1 Sep 2026: the earlier entry reviewed the help centre and not the operator's biometric notice.)Perry Street Software — Notice and Consent to Process Biometric Data · Perry Street Software — Privacy Policy · SCRUFF — Profile verification
Anti-scam AI
SCRUFF's Safety Center names scammer protection, age verification and a sensitive content filter, alongside screenshot and personal-content protection. It does not name a specific AI anti-scam product. Stealth mode lets a member browse without leaving a trace on other profiles.
Background check
Not found. No background-check programme appears in the safety documentation reviewed for this app (see source). This records the public documentation only — it is not a finding that no checks occur.
Report & block
Report and block from a profile, with published profile guidelines and warning or suspension alerts.
The gap
Copying two poses on camera is a stronger liveness test than a single still, because a stolen photo set cannot produce it on demand. It still proves only that a live person matches the main photo, and it says nothing about intent once the conversation moves to another app.
Source: SCRUFF — Safety center

Verification answers the wrong question

Photo matching, identity checks, scam detection and reporting address different risks. None makes every account safe to trust. A passed photo check does not tell you whether a financial proposal is genuine. That gap has a price tag: the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center recorded $929 million in confidence-and-romance-scam losses across 23,159 complaints in 2025.

One structural note: Tinder, Match.com, Hinge, OkCupid and Plenty of Fish are all Match Group apps and share much of the same verification infrastructure — so their photo/selfie checks work alike, and the discontinued Garbo background-check partnership affected all of them.

Tinder’s Photo Verification guidance explicitly warns that a badge does not guarantee the authenticity of a user’s information. The FBI’s warning about AI-enabled fraud describes synthetic video used in real-time chats and private messages to make an online contact seem real. A convincing call is therefore not a fraud test. Read more about AI romance scams and keep financial decisions separate from a new relationship.

So use the features — verify your profile, keep the chat where the moderation lives, report anything off. But remember what they can and can't do. If something feels off about someone you've met on an app, run it through our romance-scam checker, which reads the behaviour the badge can't. Reviewed August 2026.

Use safety tools without over-trusting them

  1. Turn on the app's own verification. Use verification through the app you opened yourself and read what it checks and how it handles your data. A badge is not a guarantee of identity or honesty.
  2. Keep the conversation on the app. Staying on-platform keeps the conversation within the app’s moderation and warning tools. Treat pressure to leave as a reason to slow down. You can still report an account after an off-platform exchange.
  3. Treat video calls as conversation, not proof. A call does not establish someone’s history or honest intentions. Synthetic video can also be used to deceive. Do not meet someone solely to test authenticity; if you choose to meet, use a public place and arrange your own transport.
  4. Never send money or 'invest' for someone you met on an app. Stop if a match pressures you to fund an emergency, pay a fee or use a suggested trading platform. Seek an independent view before acting. A convincing relationship does not verify a financial request.
  5. Report and block inside the app — then report the scam. If you sent money, contact your bank or payment provider promptly. Save relevant messages, report and block the account, and report suspected fraud to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and the FBI’s IC3 at ic3.gov. Do not pay someone promising recovery.

How this index is built

The index asks one question of each app, and answers it only from what the platform itself publishes: what does this app actually verify, and what does it explicitly not do? Every row is sourced to the platform's own safety, help or newsroom page, or to a named authority. Where a claim could not be confirmed on a platform-owned page, it is omitted rather than guessed.

That discipline matters here, because this category is full of features that sound like safety and are not. Photo verification is designed to compare a selfie with profile photos. It differs from an identity-document check, and neither guarantees honest intentions. The index separates these features so a badge is not mistaken for a broader assurance.

The single most important column is the one that is empty for every app: background checks. Tinder offered them through Garbo from 2022; that partnership ended in 2023, and across all 12 apps no replacement is live. We also note the structural point once: Tinder, Match.com, Hinge, OkCupid and Plenty of Fish are Match Group apps sharing much of the same verification infrastructure, so they are not 12 independent safety regimes.

New in v2.0.0, and the sharpest finding in this release: of 12 apps, exactly 1 documents true two-factor authentication on the account itself. That is eharmony, which emails a 4-digit code when a login is attempted from an unrecognised device. Everywhere else the SMS or email code is the login, which is not the same thing: a code that replaces a password protects nobody who has already been SIM-swapped or had their inbox taken. Grindr is the only app publishing a PIN plus biometric lock on the app itself, which answers a different threat, somebody holding your unlocked phone.

Only 4 of 12 check a government ID at all, and where they do it is usually narrower than it sounds: Hinge's is an age check that becomes compulsory once prompted, and PURE's exists to prove age in the United Kingdom rather than to prove who anyone is. A photo badge and an ID check are different claims, and most apps only make the first.

What happens to the face afterwards varies more than anything else here, and the real split is not between companies but between kinds of check. A one-off verification is cheap to forget: OkCupid purges its facial-geometry template within 24 hours, Hinge deletes Selfie Verification data inside the same window, and Bumble's ID partner Veriff deletes within 72 hours. The newer biometric age checks keep far more, and keep it far longer. On Tinder and on Hinge alike, the FaceMap and the FaceVector derived from your video selfie are retained for the lifetime of the account and deleted within 30 days of closure, with audit images held for 90 days past closure on Tinder and up to a year if the account was banned. Bumble keeps biometric scans up to three years after your last interaction, and Grindr retains data for as long as the account is active. And 3 of 12 still publish no retention period at all, which is the answer you get for handing over your face and then asking what happens to it.

Last reviewed August 2026. Platforms ship new tooling often — each row links its source so any claim can be checked, and corrected, at source.

For journalists

This index is free to cite, with credit (CC BY 4.0). The one-line finding: not one of the 12 major dating apps publishes a background-check programme, and only 1 of 12 offers two-factor authentication on the account itself.

The dataset is archived with a permanent DOI, so it stays citable and resolvable independently of this site: 10.5281/zenodo.21440084 (CSV + JSON + methodology, 2.2.0). That is a concept DOI, so it always resolves to the newest version rather than pinning to one deposit. To cite this exact revision instead, use 10.5281/zenodo.22227448.

Suggested citation: Tutela Digitalis (2026). The Tutela Digitalis Dating App Safety Index (Version 2.2.0) [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21440084

Need the underlying data, a correction, or a quote? Email press@tuteladigitalis.com. We publish corrections.

Common questions about dating app safety

Are dating apps safe in 2026?

Established dating apps provide verification, reporting and moderation tools, but no feature guarantees that a match is honest or safe. Photo checks and identity checks serve different purposes, and availability varies by app and region. Use the app’s own safety tools, protect personal information and refuse pressure to send money or try an investment. A badge, video call or meeting does not make a financial request trustworthy.

What is the difference between photo verification and a background check?

Photo verification compares a selfie with profile photos. It can help detect a mismatch; it is not a guarantee of identity or honesty. A background check searches records associated with an identity and also has limits. The Match Group–Garbo partnership ended in 2023, so this index does not describe that discontinued service as a current feature. Neither type of check certifies that a person is safe to trust with money.

If someone is verified on a dating app, can I trust them?

A verified badge means an account passed a particular check. Read what that check covers before drawing conclusions: matching photos is different from checking an identity document. Neither establishes honest intentions. A successful video call or an in-person meeting also cannot certify a financial proposal. Keep control of your personal information and do not send money or use a trading platform because a match asks you to.

Why do scammers try to move the chat to WhatsApp or Telegram?

Moving off a dating app takes the conversation outside that app’s message moderation and warning tools. An early, insistent push to leave is a reason to slow down, especially when followed by secrecy or financial pressure. It does not prove fraud by itself. Keep relevant messages and use the dating app’s reporting process if you suspect a scam, including when the harmful exchange happened elsewhere.

What is the single biggest dating-app red flag?

Pressure to send money or use a suggested investment platform is a major warning sign, however convincing the relationship feels. Emergency stories, crypto deposits and fees to release supposed profits are reasons to stop and seek an independent view. Do not pay to prove trust. If you have already sent money, contact your bank or payment provider promptly, save the messages and report the suspected scam.

Is this a review of which dating app is best?

No — it's a safety reference, not a ranking. We're not scoring the apps against each other or recommending one; we're documenting what each platform publishes about its own anti-scam and verification tools, so you can see what protection you actually have and where the gap is. Every entry is sourced to the platform's own safety or help page and reviewed periodically. Features change, so confirm current details with the app itself.

How much can you trust Hinge and Bumble's safety features?

Treat each feature according to its stated purpose. Selfie and identity checks, scam detection and reporting are different tools; they should not all be described as proof that a person is real or honest. Compare the platform’s current help pages linked in the entries above, including regional availability and privacy terms. None of these tools makes a match’s request for money safe.

Which dating apps are the most secure in 2026?

This index documents published features; it does not establish which app has the lowest scam rate. Counting verification tools is not a reliable safety ranking. Compare what each check does, how your information is handled and how to report a problem. Staying on-platform can preserve access to moderation, but neither that choice nor a video call guarantees safety. Keep dating separate from payments and investment decisions.

Is the Duet dating app safe — and how does it compare with Hinge?

The entries above compare the safety processes Duet and Hinge publish, with links to their own documentation. Differences in documentation or verification design do not establish which app is safer in practice. Check the current requirements and privacy terms for your region. On either app, a verification badge is not proof of honest intentions, and a video call or meeting is not a reason to trust a request for money.

How do I check whether a Hinge or Bumble profile is authentic?

Check what the app’s badge actually means and use verification only through the app you opened yourself. An absent badge is not proof of fraud, and a present badge is not proof of honesty. Look for inconsistencies, secrecy and pressure involving money or personal information. Video calls can help a conversation, but real people and synthetic video can both be used to deceive. You do not need to meet someone to investigate a suspicion.

Are dating sites legit?

Established dating services can be legitimate businesses while still hosting fraudulent accounts. Fake sites can also impersonate real services. Open the service independently rather than following a match’s link, and check its official app or website. A legitimate platform does not authenticate every message or financial proposal on it. Do not enter card details or upload identity documents to a site a match sends you as a supposed safety requirement.

How good is Tinder's security, really?

Tinder’s Photo Verification compares a video selfie with profile photos. Tinder explicitly warns that the badge does not guarantee the authenticity of a user’s information. Other features, including identity checks and reporting, have their own purposes and availability. This index records those published tools rather than claiming Tinder has eliminated catfishing. Use the tools, but do not treat a badge or a successful call as permission to send money.

Keep reading

CHECK IT
Is this online relationship real? The romance-scam checker
IS IT SAFE?
Are Tinder, Bumble and Hinge safe? The 2026 truth
THE PLAYBOOK
How AI supercharged romance scams, and how to spot them