Menu

Ahead of Valentine’s Day on Friday, February 14, cybersecurity company, Kaspersky, has said people seeking to find love using dating applications are vulnerable to cyber attacks. In a report released today, the company said cybercriminals have specialised in using fake copies of popular dating apps and websites such as Tinder, Bumble, or Match.com as baits to spread mobile malware or retrieve personal data of users.

Kaspersky’s analysis shows the in 2019, more than 2,548 users in Africa experienced 7,734 attacks by cybercriminals. The region saw a circulation of 1,486 threats, which came under the guise of popular dating applications.  

The countries that experienced the most attacks were South Africa, accounting for 58 per cent of all attacks in the region, Kenya (10 per cent) and Nigeria (4 per cent).

With Valentine’s Day approaching, the cybersecurity company said singles and couples alike are under intensifying pressure to find suitable dates. However, it advised people to be careful they don't fall preys to cyber criminals while using dating apps.

“Online dating has made our lives easier and yet uncovered new risks on the path to love,” Vladimir Kuskov, head of advanced threat research and software classification at Kaspersky. “We advise users to stay attentive and use legal versions of applications that are available in official application stores. And, of course, we wish you best of luck finding the perfect date for this special day.”

Apart from spreading fake copies of popular dating apps online, dating sites and apps have also been hacked in the past. For instance, Ashley Madison, a Canadian online dating service that provides "discreet married dating” was hacked in 2015, and private data of millions of customers was published by the hackers.

In its statement today, Kaspersky recommends ways to avoid cyber risks in online dating. Among its recommendations, the company said users should always check application permissions to see what the installed apps are allowed to do. Users are also advised not to install apps from untrusted sources, even if they are actively advertised. Users also need to find out more information about the dating websites they plan on visiting. They can also use a reliable security solution like Kaspersky Security Cloud.

While using dating apps, the security solutions provider advises users to avoid sharing too much personal information with strangers and make sure the people they are meeting are real, as fraudsters often use fake profiles for scams.