According to statistics just issued by British police agencies, the number of reported Grindr and Tinder-related crimes have soared by 700% in the last two years. Last year Grindr was named in 135 police reports. BT.com reports:
The number of alleged crimes potentially involving people’s use of dating apps Tinder and Grindr has increased more than seven-fold in the past three years – including reports of rape, grooming and attempted murder.
Experts said the findings were “shocking” and urged the authorities to launch a campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of meeting strangers on the so-called hook-up sites.
Andy Phippen, professor of social responsibility in IT at Plymouth University, said it was a “growing problem, particularly around sextortion-type activities”.
He said: “If we are going to base the formation of a relationship on a photo and a few lines of text, how do we know that person is who they say they are and they have the right intentions?”
A spokesman for Stonewall added the figures are “shocking” and Victim Support said people using the apps should tell a friend where they are going before meeting anyone on the app.
The actual number of app-related crimes is believed to much higher due to non-reporting by embarrassed victims.