On dating and matrimony apps, not everyone comes with good intentions and a genuine desire to find someone special. Meeting someone online and getting disappointed after meeting in real life is quite common. If you thought you were alone, the good news is you are not! On dating apps, and especially on matrimony apps, hundreds of people create scams and fake profiles daily to trick people. Why so? Well, with so many filters at our disposal, it’s not difficult to heavily edit one’s photos. Putting false information to impress matches is also one of the favorite things of such people.
On Betterhalf.ai, we witnessed a huge spike in new profiles created by people. It might be because of the loneliness imposed by the pandemic and lockdown facilitated to curb the COVID-19 cases. Everybody is so unsure about their future that they want to settle with their betterhalf as soon as possible. At dating or matrimony platforms, a profile picture is the primary and foremost contact point. So, one of the major concerns for the users is how they can 100% believe the profile picture?
Well, we understood our users’ concerns. To combat this online catfishing phenomenon on our matrimony app, Betterhalf.ai has come up with Selfie Verification. It is a whole new feature that we are bringing to our platform so that genuine people don’t face any trouble.
Wondering what this feature does? Well, every user has to take a real-time selfie. Thereafter, the artificial intelligence technology of Betterhalf will compare the profile photos on the users’ profiles to make sure they are genuine.
One of the primary aims of bringing this feature is to provide women on Betterhalf.ai an extra shield. Apart from this, we hope that this new feature will focus more on getting a higher probability of viewing genuine potential matches to people. Once you have completed the onboarding verification, this feature will act as an additional step to create an all-rounded safe profile for you and everyone else. Now, the big question arises.
How do you actually get your selfie verified?
Have a look at the steps to get your selfie verified!
Well, firstly make sure your Betterhalf.ai app is updated to the latest version on the App store/Play Store.
Download the app from the respective app store.
Open the Betterhalf.ai app. Make sure you have completed the registration process. Go to your profile page.
Here, you will see the “Safety Centre” or the ‘greyed out verified badge’. Click on either of them.
Ready to click a real-time selfie? Once you are done, submit it for verification.
If your selfie matches with other photos uploaded on the profile, boom! Your profile is verified! :)
After verification, you will get a prominent blue tick mark beside your profile name.
What if your selfie doesn’t get verified in real-time?
Well, there are chances that your selfie might not get verified in real-time as the process depends upon the authenticity of your selfie and other pictures on your profile. But you don’t need to worry as we will take a maximum of 24 hours to get it done. During this time, your verification will be submitted for review. Also, all of this doesn’t stop you from using and exploring the app.
One small tip for you: Make sure you are in a good light while clicking the selfie. If your verification request is rejected, we recommend you use better lighting and take a selfie again to submit it for verification.
As we said, we brought this verification feature to keep the community safe and secured. If you verify your profile before sending a connection request or starting a conversation, you increase your visibility by 44% and chances to make a meaningful conversation by a whopping 73%.
“Our community trusts us to introduce them to new people, and we’re dedicated to building innovative safety features, powered by best-in-class technology.”, says Shankar Krishnamurthy and Bhaumik Shah, Product Managers at Betterhalf.ai.
We also understand the fact that facial appearance undergoes several changes over time. It is perfectly natural. For example, a person can decide to grow his beard tomorrow. Other changes such as tanning of the complexion, hair growth, weight gain, etc. can also happen. And you don’t need to worry about what will happen to your verification status in such a case. In such instances, our AI technology covers up these minor differences by choosing to go with features recognition. So, unless you undergo a major lip surgery to get that perfect pout, consider yourself sorted.
Another reason to get your selfie verified is that you can change your profile photos subsequently and your profile will remain verified. However, if the uploaded photo does not match the selfie, you will be notified that your profile is no longer verified. And in such a case, you will need to verify your profile again by visiting the safety center.
Tips to Stay Safe Online from Our Product Team
Check out some tips from our product team that help you stay safe online while searching for your soulmate.
Safeguard your information
You must never share personal information such as your home or work address, or details about your daily routine (for example that you go to a certain gym five times a week at a certain time) with people you don’t know.
Continue conversations only on the App
We recommend that you keep the conversation on the Betterhalf app after you connect with someone and get to know him/her. Normally, users with bad intentions often try to move the conversation to text, messaging apps, email, or phone right away. So, stay alert!
Never share financial information
Never send money, especially bank transfers, even if the person claims to be in an emergency. Transferring money is like sending cash — it’s nearly impossible to reverse the transaction or trace where the money went. Never share information that could be used to access your financial accounts. If a user asks you for money, report it to us immediately, and we will take care of that. But in any condition, don’t involve yourself in financial talks.
Take your own sweet time in meeting a person
One of the major red flags you can see in people who aren't genuine is they are always in a rush to meet. So, you should always take your time to get to know the other person before agreeing to meet or chat with the Betterhalf.ai app. Don’t be afraid to ask questions for screening purposes to identify any red flags. A phone or video call can be a useful screening tool.
Always meet in a public place
For the first few times, meet in populated, public places. If the person compels or pressurizes you to go to a private location, red alert! End the date immediately!
If you feel uncomfortable, leave!
There is nothing more important than your comfort. So, if you are feeling uncomfortable, it’s okay to end the date early. And if your instincts are telling you something is off or you feel unsafe, ask people around you for help. But never carry on while keeping your comfort at bay.
