AdultFriendFinder profiles: 3 tips to sort legit from fake

Fake profiles have been spoiling the fun of online dating for years. And it's easier for scammers and bad-faith actors to create realistic profiles than ever before. Cheap generative AI can do the hard work of falsifying photos, videos, and profile bios. AI can also believably mimic humans in text conversations. All of which means that vigilance is super important right now. 

AdultFriendFinder one of the world's longest-running and largest online dating sites. It's also jam-packed with adult content — there's nudity all over the site's interface and content, which has attracted countless scammers over the years. The result is an abundance of nefarious fakery among all those spicy profiles. And while AFF likes to boast about its huge user base — there are apparently hundreds of millions of accounts across the world — many of these accounts are, in fact, inactive.

While this doesn't have to ruin your AFF experience, it does mean you have to use your judgment about where to focus your time and attention. Here are the best tips for sorting legit profiles from fake.

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Credit: AdultFriendFinder

AdultFriendFinder

 

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Prioritize verified accounts

AFF is well aware of the fake profile issue and has put safeguards in place to prevent it, giving users greater peace of mind. AdultFriendFinder allows you to verify your profile via the Confirm ID service, a two-step process that's effective without being a pain to action (as some verification processes can be in this day and age).

The first thing you need to do is provide AFF with a piece of government-issued identification. Then the site scans your face via your webcam (with your permission, of course). Completing this process is a verification one-stop shop, verifying not just your age but also your age, location, and gender. You'll get a blue checkmark on your profile, which then shows up in other users' search results, signaling that you are indeed a real person. Don't worry about privacy around the face scan. Having your face scanned does not mean that you have to show your face on AFF. If you want to keep a low profile, rest assured you can keep your face off AFF (even if you plan on showing plenty more) while also confirming to others that you're exactly who you say you are.

Once you've verified your profile, it's a good idea to limit your on-site interactions to other verified profiles as well. If you decide to chat with unverified people, be especially vigilant about not sharing personal information.

Finally, don't assume that because a profile is verified, it is also legitimate; accounts can be sold or stolen, so treat profile verification as a positive sign rather than as perfect confirmation of the profile's legitimacy. 

Scrutinize their photos

Because people curate their own profiles, the photos they choose to share speak volumes about them, so if you're at all suspicious that you may be viewing a fake account, take a closer look at the pics the person has shared. If they look AI-generated, if they're all of professional quality, or if they're incredibly generic, these are all red flags.

To take things a step further, you can use a reverse image search on Google to see if the photos appear anywhere else (a strong indication that they're not original to the person or profile), or you can use a service like ZeroGPT or Sightengine to discover if they're AI-generated. 

Just as you look for red flags, you should also look for green flags, which would include photos with friends or groups of people, a mix of selfies and more staged shots, and photos that feature unique landmarks specific to your location, such as a well-known store, restaurant, or public area.

Engage in conversation

If you're on the fence about whether or not a profile is fake, the next step is to actually talk to the person (or bot?) in question. This doesn't mean you should let your guard down, though — far from it. Pay very close attention to the things the other person says, the questions they ask, and the replies they give. Here are some common red flags that indicate you're talking to a scammer or bot:

• They push for specific information about you early in the conversation

• They send links to outside websites or chat platforms like WhatsApp or Telegram

• They tell you a sad story to create a sense of urgency in you

• They ask for nude or compromising photos of you 

If you're still uncertain, you can request a video call or an in-person meet-up in a public place. Scammers will be reluctant to verify their identities over video calls and especially reluctant — or even incapable — of offline meet-ups. 

Finally, remember that while all of the above are useful guidelines, they're not iron-clad or fool-proof, and a clever scammer, catfisher, or bad actor can still find ways to circumvent these safeguards. Always be cautious about who you speak to, what you share, and under what circumstances, especially when it comes to personal or financial information.