Maryland Among Most Dangerous States For Online Dating: Study

MARYLAND — Maryland is among the most dangerous states for online dating, according to a new analysis.

The Old Line State is in the bottom five when it comes to the safest states to date online, according to HighSpeedInternet.com, a private firm that compares internet service providers for consumers.

Its analysis incorporated factors like cybercrime statistics and sexually transmitted disease rates to determine how safe it is in each state to turn to dating apps like Tindr, OkCupid, Bumble, Grindr or Hinge.

Alaska has more cybercrime victims and people with STDs than any other state, earning it the rank of most dangerous state for online dating. This is the third year in a row Alaska was ranked last in the report.

Starting with the most dangerous, here are the 10 states where online dating is rated the riskiest, according to the survey:

1. Alaska
2. Nevada
3. California
4. North Carolina
5. Maryland
6. Colorado
7. Virginia
8. Washington
9. New York
10. Florida

According to the report, the record-low rates for cybercrime and sexually transmitted diseases in Maine make it the safest bet for online dating.

Here are the 10 safest states for online dating, according to HighSpeedInternet.com:

1. Maine
2. West Virginia
3. Vermont
4. Kentucky
5. New Hampshire
6. South Dakota
7. North Dakota
8. Idaho
9. Nebraska
10. Iowa

Maryland has the 11th highest number of cybercrime victims with 8,777 reported in the state in 2018, according to the FBI's latest findings.

It also has its share of STDs. The Free State has the 12th highest rate of chlamydia in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

See Also:

• STD Rates Reach Another Record High In Maryland
• Rockville Man Charged With Raping Woman He Met On JDate
• Silver Spring Man Charged In Rape, Robbery Of Woman He Met On Dating App: MCPD
• Laurel Man Gets 19 Years for Internet Dating Scheme
• Former MCPS Guidance Counselor Sentenced In 2 Rapes After Tinder Dates: Report

The risks are not keeping people from looking for love online. According to one Stanford survey, nearly 40 percent of heterosexual couples met through online dating sites.

For those who are meeting up with someone they met online, there are precautions that can increase safety.

Here are a few tips for online dating safety from Bustle's dating expert:

1. Google yourself: Find out what information is out there about you.
2. Never give out your full name until after the first date.
3. Get a Google Voice number. Don’t give out your real phone number.
4. Don’t reveal where you work.
5. Meet in a public place.
6. Drive yourself to a date or take public transportation.
7. Stay sober.
8. Don’t use Facebook or Instagram photos on your dating profile.
9. Tell a friend specific details about your date.
10. Consider carrying pepper spray.
11. Don’t let anyone walk you home on your first date.

— By Megan VerHelst, Kathleen Culliton and Elizabeth Janney