If you’re a Floridian who’s ever sent a friend or family member your location before you go on a date with someone you’ve met online, here’s some less-than-stellar news for you.

Florida just ranked as one of the top five most dangerous states for online dating, according to a recent study from online security platform Privacy Journal. The good news is that the dangers of online dating are less about violence than they are about dating scams and catfishing, according to the study’s results.

Here’s where Florida ranked in Privacy Journal’s top five most dangerous states for online dating and why.

Are online dating sites dangerous?

Dating online isn’t always dangerous, but there’s always a risk when you agree to meet up with a stranger based on a profile that they’ve curated to look a certain way.

“Unlucky online lovers have reported romance scams and fraud, matches with registered sex offenders, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and even violent crime,” Privacy Journal’s study says. 

How safe online dating is for you also depends on how much information you put out there and who you are. Limiting the amount of personal, sensitive information you include in your public profile can help keep you safe from identity theft or romance scams.

And young women are more likely to have a negative experience in online dating, according to a 2023 study from the Pew Research Center.

“A majority of women under 50 who have used dating sites or apps (56%) say they have been sent a sexually explicit message or image they didn’t ask for, and about four-in-ten have had someone continue to contact them after they said they were not interested (43%) or have been called an offensive name (37%),” the study says. 

“Roughly one-in-ten of this group (11%) have received threats of physical harm. Each of these experiences is less common among women online dating users ages 50 and older, as well as among men of any age.”

Don’t get Tinder swindled: Here are 4 essential online dating safety tips

Is it dangerous to date online in Florida?

Privacy Journal’s study compared statistics on all of the factors that could lead to a dangerous online date for each 100,000 residents in each state to find the most and least dangerous states for online dating.

While Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, Kentucky and Idaho took the top five rankings for being the least dangerous states for people looking for love online, Florida ranked in the bottom five as the fourth-most dangerous state.

Here are the five most dangerous states for online dating, according to Privacy Journal’s study:

1. Nevada
2. Alaska
3. Georgia
4. Florida
5. Arizona

But Florida’s low safety ranking for online dating isn’t because of violence, it’s due to scams and identity theft.

“Florida already has a bad reputation thanks to the Florida Man meme, and our numbers for online dating risk factors don’t help the situation,” the study said. “Florida is the second-worst state in the country for both identity theft and fraud, and the seventh worst for becoming a victim of romance scams.”

How can I be safe while online dating?

Here are five safety tips for online dating, from RAINN (The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network).

1. Don’t use your Instagram or Facebook photos on your dating profile: “It’s easy to do a reverse image search with Google. If your dating profile has a photo that also shows up on your Instagram or Facebook account, it will be easier for someone to find you on social media.”
2. Don’t share live or motion photos: “Photos taken in ‘live’ mode include geolocation information that can be passed on along with the photo. Exercise caution when sharing these images with matches and potential dates.”
3. Avoid interaction with suspicious profiles: “If the person you matched with has no bio, linked social media accounts, and has only posted one picture, it may be a fake account. It’s important to use caution if you choose to connect with someone you have so little information about.”
4. Check your potential date’s social media: “If you know your match’s name or handles on social media—or better yet if you have mutual friends online—look them up and make sure they aren’t ‘catfishing’ you by using a fake social media account to create their dating profile.”
5. Block and report suspicious profiles: “You can block and report another user if you feel their profile is suspicious or if they have acted inappropriately toward you. This can often be done anonymously before or after you’ve matched. As with any personal interaction, it is always possible for people to misrepresent themselves. Trust your instincts about whether you feel someone is representing themself truthfully or not.”