59pc of Indian online daters have experienced security issues

With dating-based social networking becoming a norm in India, it should come as no surprise that online dating is also on the radar for cyber criminals.

According to the recently released Norton Mobile Survey, 38 percent of consumers admitting to having used online dating apps at some point in their lives, of which close to 64 percent women had experienced security problems as opposed to 57 percent of men.

Currently, eight percent of women and 13 percent of men in India have dating apps on their mobile devices.

The study conducted among 1,005 Indian smartphone and tablet users aged 16 years and above, the Norton Mobile Survey reveals that three in five online daters (59 percent) have ever experienced security problems on their mobile devices.

The most concerning security issues reported include virus/malware (23 percent), nuisance advertisements (13 percent), cyberstalking (nine percent), being tricked into using premium services (nine percent), identity theft (six percent) and revenge porn (four percent). In fact, six percent respondents also experienced a threat to their mWallets due to the usage of dating apps.

According to the survey results, online dating apps were most likely to have been used at least once by people in Delhi (51 percent), followed by Chennai (39 percent), Kolkata (36 percent), Mumbai (35 per cent) and Ahmedabad (35 percent). Ironically, while consumers in Chennai (20 percent) and Hyderabad (21 percent) find online dating low risk, they have reported experiencing most security problems, 68 percent, and 69 percent respectively.

"There is a general lack of security awareness amongst consumers when it comes to online dating on mobile devices. While there are many legitimate daters on these apps, considering the anonymity, online daters can run the risk of becoming a victim of stalking, harassment, catfishing, identity theft, and even phishing scams," said Ritesh Chopra, Country Manager, India, Norton by Symantec.

"The solution is not to panic, nor is it to stop using the apps. Online dating on mobile devices isn't going away but there are some simple, best practices Indians can adopt to keep themselves, their devices and mobile apps secure, " said Chopra.

The study also shared important tips to follow when using online dating on your mobile devices

* When choosing an online dating site, be sure to choose a reputable, well-known website. Check the privacy policy to see how the service will handle your data.

* Join a paid site. Since members have to pay to communicate with each other, this means that there will be more legitimate daters and fewer scammers.

* Create a username that you have not used on any other accounts. Also, set up a free email account to use with your dating account that has a unique name.

* In case you suspect cyberstalking or catfishing, do not respond to the perpetrator. Keep all records and evidence of the harassment by making a copy of the message, photo or video and report it to the relevant authorities immediately.

* Don't help any individual financially based on the stories they share with you on the dating sites. Instead, report them to the service you are using and then block them.

* Don't visit links sent to you by people you haven't talked to for very long as it can lead to malicious sites that download malware onto your computer.

* If someone requests a webcam chat, be especially careful about your behavior. The criminal can record the webcam session and they can use it to blackmail you.

* If you notice that the conversation is following "canned" responses, or the person isn't answering your questions directly, chances are it's a bot.