TikTok isn’t the only Chinese app to worry about. A shopping app, downloaded by millions of Americans, uses sneaky tactics to monitor users. We spoke with Titan Crawford, founder of the Facebook group PDX Stolen Cars, which has helped recover over 3,000 stolen cars in Portland.
3 ways to screen out killers, stalkers and other threats on dating apps
Killers use social apps as hunting grounds. Last Friday, Oregon authorities arrested a man for torturing a woman he found on a dating app. Police say he held her captive and beat her into unconsciousness.
The woman is in critical condition at an Oregon hospital — but many victims don’t survive. If you’re using dating apps, you must protect yourself.
After all, you can’t trust Big Tech to prioritize your safety over profit. Meta kept quiet when a killer targeted a Facebook group for new mothers. Be proactive with the following strategies to stay safe.
1. Verify your match’s identity
The first way to avoid dangerous people on dating apps is to Google them. Whenever you match with someone, use a reverse image search to look up their photos. Here’s how:
- Screenshot photos of the profile and save them to a desktop. Use full images rather than cropped thumbnails.
- Upload the photos to Google Images and hit the camera icon to run a search.
- Using a smartphone? We can help you do a reverse image search on your iPhone or Android.
Remember: If you get no results, the profile could still be fake. Type your match’s name into a search engine, along with their city and state. Look them up on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn to ensure the pictures on their dating app match the ones on other accounts.
2. Check their criminal records
This is public information. Google your state and “court records.” Government websites will help you search for your match’s name.
Look through the public records. If you see any restraining orders, cut off communication immediately. Stalking is an escalating behavior that will only get worse with time.
Can’t find anything? Look up their phone number on a database like Social Catfish, RocketReach or USA People Search. Here are some of the internet’s most popular people search sites — along with instructions to remove your information!
They probably use a false identity if their name isn’t attached to their phone number.
Meta didn't inform members of a Facebook group that a killer was stalking them
Your online accounts are always at risk from hackers, but sometimes you won’t even know that you’ve been compromised. Tap or click here to check if anyone has access to your Facebook, Google or Netflix accounts.
It’s not just privacy and personal information at risk when you’re on social media. Criminals of all types troll these platforms looking for victims, sometimes with deadly intentions.
Safe ways to get free stuff in your neighborhood
If you want to save money while connecting to your community, you have to join a buy nothing group. It’s exactly what it says on the tin: a group of neighbors with their own gift economy. You can join a Facebook group or even a community on NextDoor or other apps. Tap or click here to find out how Nextdoor and other apps help sell your old, used or battered tech.