You may be wondering if Adult Friend Finder and websites like it are safe. Even so, are they worth your time or a waste? In this article, we will consider customers reviews, complaints, and any history of problems. I’ve taken a close look at how AFF works. Here are the results.
Adult Friend Finder is as safe as any other dating or social media website. Using the following tips to avoid bots and other pitfalls will ensure your experience is worthwhile.
While online dating it typically safe, people can still see information about you such as your general location. If you use a product such as a VPN, you can hide this information and keep your privacy. I highly recommend it.
Table of Contents
What is Adultfriendfinder?
Another name for Adult FriendFinder is AFF for short. It is one of many websites owned by the parent company FriendFinder Networks. Social media sites became popular in the late 1990s. Since then the need for dating websites has become clear. Friend Finder dating sites vary depending on what kind of relationship the user is seeking.
Some people use websites such as Adult FriendFinder and Ashley Madison to have affairs. Affairs are not illegal and AFF does not discourage this kind of activity. It is sometimes the case that affairs turn to love. AFF generally promotes all types of casual encounters through the AFF website and corresponding AFF dating app.
Is Adult Friend Finder Real?
Is it legit or a scam? Adult FriendFinder is a real website that does work to connect people looking for relationships. You may be wondering if it is safe to meet people online. If you are comfortable using social media, AFF should be no different. Below are some common problems to look out for.
Adult Friend Finder Profiles
There is a chat feature on this website where you can connect directly with other users. The Adult Friend Finder chat is pretty basic as you would expect on any social media website. The problem is some profiles are obvious fakes. These ‘bots’ or robots are used by many companies whose business depends on membership.
They do this to increase the apparent popularity of the website. As well as to even out the ratio between male and female users. Anyone familiar with nightclubs understands having too many of one or the other hurts the customer’s experience.
There is also the problem of how to delete your AFF account once you no longer use it. Rival company Ashley Madison was caught not removing accounts the users thought were deleted. Worse yet, some people paid to have their account removed and it was never done. I recommend contacting AFF customer service for reassurance. This may not ensure compliance but will help your case later if it turns out they lied.
AFF Hack List
Adult Friend Finder was hacked in May of 2015. The hackers stole personal information affecting over 4 million users. In November of 2016, approximately 300 million accounts were compromised.
These hacks are obviously very serious. Some companies are negligent with their network security. They concern themselves with making money but fail to protect the sensitive personal information they collect along the way.
It’s possible to find out if you or anyone you know is involved in these hacks. For example, the website HaveiBeenPwned.com will search a database of compromised accounts. This includes all of the major hacking incidents over the past few decades.
Is it worth it
AFF and similar websites can be worth the time and money. The key is to go into the experience with a realistic expectation. The site is for short-term interactions. Don’t expect more.
Also, understand one thing if you are already in a relationship. There is a high risk if your spouse discovers your affair.
The intent behind the relationship is one reason why affairs never last. Only a physical relationship is sought from the beginning. One or both sides are not committed from the start. The bond is not strong enough to work through problems that arise.
The Cost of Adult Friend Finder
Adult Friend Finder’s cost depends on how long you decide to commit to your purchase. If you just want to try it out for a month, it will cost about $40. However, if you sign up for a full year it would be about $20 per month.
Other dating sites charge you depending on the level of activity you plan on undertaking. For example, Ashley Madison charges $49 to start. This gives you 100 credits. You use these in order to complete actions such as communicating with other people. Both sending and reading a chat message will cost you 5 credits for each action.
The Adult Friend Finder price tag does not reflect your intended activity level. Once you move from a free to a Gold membership, you are free to use the full features of the website.
What you get for Free
If you want to see full profiles, you will need a paid account. Otherwise, you can get a good idea of how the site works for free.
I recommend you explore the site for free first. This way you can make a better decision if it is right for you before paying. Also, the memberships are month to month. Spending time exploring for free can mean your paid time is more productive.
Adultfriendfinder Alternative
As I mention above, there are other sites like Adult Friend Finder. Ashley Madison is the first one that comes to mind. Using one site or the other would give you a different pool of users to choose from.
Read How To Spot Fake Bumble Profiles
I have another article about Ashley Madison you can read here.
Conclusion
To recap, Adult Friend Finder and its alternatives can be safe if you navigate them carefully. Also, keep your expectations in check. Understand all sites like this have fake profiles.
There may be bots the owners intentionally create. But they could also be scammers trying to commit a romance scam. Hopefully, by reading this article you will know what pitfalls to look out for.
Don’t forget what I said about protecting your privacy online. Here is some VPN software you can download to hide your location online.
I suggest that you use Google’s Reverse Image Search to check out profile pictures. You can find an example of how to do this in my article about Sugar Daddy requests on Instagram.
Resources: HaveiBeenPwned.com