Why do people use gay dating / hook up apps? The reasons vary from finding a quickie, a possible date, to keep up with friends, and so on. I am sure some use it as an emotional boost putting their pics out there and getting tons of messages, building their confidence and ego, which is not a bad thing. Others use it to make money, and I'll get to that later.
I sign on to Grindr often. Right now at 3 PM on a Saturday, with the maximum guys loaded with a paid subscription to the service, I can reach out just two miles while just showing the guys that are currently signed on and looking. On any given Saturday night when Wilton Manors is teeming with activity, I barely break a mile.
Great odds right? Someone may say hello and a conversation could begin. I drop a couple of messages and wait for a response. Now granted, I don't expect much from the app. I don't have a chest pic on there, nor am I a size 32 or under waist. I'm not mr. muscles so I mainly go on there in the hopes that opposites attract. I'm a bigger beefy hairy guy and I do look for the opposite.
I won't get many messages from real options on Grindr and I have come to accept that. More people talk to me on Growlr and some say hello on Scruff. But more guys seem to be using Grindr so I go back and foolishly pay. Go where the boys are, right? Why is it foolish? Because there are little to no rewards. I feel I need to pay to be able to reach out more than 3 blocks from my home for there might be someone 4000 feet away that is a good match. It's the hope that someone might be out there.
Now, yes, that sounds pretty pathetic to many of you, hoping to find someone out there through a dating / hook up site. I go out as well, meet people in public, but sometimes it is just easier on an app. And it also sounds like I'm blaming Grindr for my lack of matches which I am not. What is more so driving me to not pay for Grindr again is the bots, fakes, spammers that are out there. Most days, those are the only messages I get. "this app is draining my battery" and "I'm new on here. how long have you been here?" are most of the messages I receive usually followed by a request to text. So yes, people do use Grindr to make money, scamming people through chat. There's even a tumblr page dedicated to reporting fakes from Grindr, grindrfakes.tumblr.com/. Some of the pics there are NSFW. I think this page is more so for reporting pic collector, but I am sure spammers are present, too.
Why does Grinder and no other apps have these issues? I've run into some issues with Jack'd on occasion but that was a while ago and nothing recent. So why Grindr? It might be because Grindr is to IBM computers as all the other apps are to Apple Computers. Mac computers rarely get viruses because virus writers are too busy writing their weapons for IBM computers and don't spend the time on writing for Macs. Bots, spammers, schemers are focusing their attention on the the popular kid and that is Grindr.
So Grindr, it may seem that your biggest problem, spammers, may be due to your size. But don't worry! If you don't solve the spamming issue, you will have less users for it's getting rather annoying. I am sure I am not along and this is not an empty threat. Spam and viruses is why I own a Mac and never once considered an IBM.
And let's do something about the empty profiles on there as well.
Glad I read this. I didn’t
Glad I read this. I didn't know this stuff was happening to other guys on Grindr. I thought it was just me and was getting stalked and why so many fake profiles would txt me.(who knows, maybe some of them are stalkers) just joined in November. I would never pay. It is a joke, you don't know who is real or not. Though I did get 2 hook ups so far. both guys were sane, safe to be with. Also, I do get some back & forth chats going.
I paid for the grindr plus
I paid for the grindr plus app and all I get is porn profiles and bots. I have repeatedly complained about this to grindr customer service. Nothing has been done. If all the bots and porn profiles were deleted, there would be nothing left to view. I'm asking for a refund.
I read the comments, and guys
I read the comments, and guys keep saying they are gonna delete the app because they are stocky and hairy… You may meet a guy on Grindr who likes that, chances are good that if you like the way you look, someone else will too. My mom always says "every pot has a matching lid." However, the way some of you guys are saying it, it sounds as though you have negative self image. Get off the sites all together. Rupaul been saying it for years: if you can't love yourself, how the hell are you gonna love someone else? That being said, there are two ways to stop feeling like you are being judged on your body… A.) stop caring what people think, honestly, a great guy is out there, but be wants a confidant partner. Or B.) go out and do something about it. Want to fit in with the guys who aren't stocky and hairy? Ok, eat better, hit the gym, and get yourself some clippers and find someone to wax your back… But as man of six foot five inches, and 240lbs, with a hairy (although nicely trimmed) chest, and I sport a beard too, I've found that opposites attract 🙂 Now, as for the Grindr fake profiles, it's something I'm sure they are working on. Every single straight dating site and app probably suffers as well from it. I'm sure they will iron out the kinks. personally, I live in a small town on an island… So I like Grindr for what it is. I can find dates when someone new moves here, or when tourists come. I live in a tourist town, so there's no shortage.
I’m looking for stocky and
I'm looking for stocky and hairy and I'm opposite but I thought all sticky hairy men where looking for each other!!!
IBM? I’m confused.. do you
IBM? I’m confused.. do you mean Windows?
I hate these so much…but,
I hate these so much…but, if you just type a Period, or one letter and they instantly pop back with the BS, you don't waste much time on them. What I DO find odd is that if ONE starts, you get a dozen almost instantly…so do folks REALLY fall for this shit? And just WHAT are the scammers after or doing?
Agree so much. But what the
Agree so much. But what the hell is an IBM computer?!?!
I’ve gotten a date or two out
I've gotten a date or two out of Grindr, but deleted it a few years ago because it seemed like a meeting place for all the worst aspects of our community. Don't need an app for that.
Unfortunately, I think it’s
Unfortunately, I think it’s incorrect to say this is only happening on Grindr. Some Web based “dating” sites have the same issues.
I paid for 3 months and ended
I paid for 3 months and ended up deleting after a week. I had been on grindr for several years for free. I thought paying for it would help with all the spam and dropped messages etc. I was wrong. Something needs to change at grindr if they want me back as a customer.
you’re showing your age by
you're showing your age by calling windows machines "ibm" … ibm has been long out of the pc business.
I’m done with Grindr!!….
I’m done with Grindr!!…. pain in the ass…. no pundt intended.
This is the picture for my
This is the picture for my video "Spotting Fake Profiles on Grindr" – can I get some love/recognition?https://youtu.be/mhHWjuy-PQI
Love Love Love.  I was going
Love Love Love.
I was going to include your video in my blog, but mine was more about the bots and not the catfishers. I haven't run into too many of your fakes down here in Wilton Manors like you have where you live. I use to when I was in Maine. Un/fortunately down here in Florida we do have porn stars and porn star bodies on our apps so when you see them, it's probably a real one.
Fair enough haha – I know it
Fair enough haha – I know it's different depending on where we are; I just mainly noticed my picture being used and was wondering if you could make a small annotation is all. I appreciate the response though :). Good article!
It makes good common sense
It makes good common sense because Wilton is known that younger come to love the daddys and for real not rent money
Im done with Grindr too. I
Im done with Grindr too. I want a damn public statement from grindr ceo explaining what is up with these BOTS, what they are after, and ehen the shit will cease and desist. Pathetic leadership Grindr…DONE
It makes me very concerned
It makes me very concerned about the data and text they have stored on their servers. Apparently, the have a major security problem or they are intentionally allowing this to happen.
If there is this much problem
If there is this much problem with the system, the people running it either don't care or are out of their depth. Call me if you need a competent Systems Admin Grinder.
I’m stocky and hairy so I don
I'm stocky and hairy so I don't real get messages either. I think it's time I deleted that worthless app
For those using it for free,
For those using it for free, if you block a bot it sends you to an ad. I'm not sure that Grindr may not be behind it for ad revenue.
Agree 100%, it’s why I
Agree 100%, it’s why I cancelled the subscription.
Yep, very annoying. Haven’t
Yep, very annoying. Haven’t paid for a while because of this.
Most of the fake ones seem to
Most of the fake ones seem to be 2’4″ tall on their profile..you think they could at least filter those out?
That message “I work out a
That message "I work out a lot and it makes me so hard" "want to see" then they send you to a pay site and say that they just need your credit card to verify your age. It is the biggest scam ever. I've never done it, but I get that message all the time and report it every time and yet it keeps on happening.
I haven’t clicked it either
I haven't clicked it either mostly because it sounds SO stupid the first time I saw it I figured it had to be someone in another country trying to scam me. Now I get it almost every time I log on. lol
I swear to God if I get one
I swear to God if I get one more message from a guy that's 5000 miles away asking "do you come here often? I'm new here" or telling me he "works out a lot & it makes him super hard" I'm going to cancel my subscription too. I spend way more time recently blocking spam than actually talking to people.