Susan wonders why dating websites “aren’t doing more to protect people” from fraudsters like McDonald.
“I saw his profile on one, and reported it to the site with links to news reports about him, but I don’t think I heard anything back,” she says.
Michael Lawrie, who worked for 25 years in online dating sites’ safety and customer experience departments, says they need “to get users on quickly” – and plenty of them.
“You can’t be verifying emails or phone numbers, you’re putting them straight out there,” he says.
McDonald used a number of sites including Badoo, Hinge, Tinder and Plenty of Fish.
A spokesperson for Badoo said the company worked “closely with law enforcement” and had dedicated channels for them to share information about anyone banned from using dating apps due to court orders or parole restrictions.
Plenty of Fish, Hinge and Tinder are all owned by Match Group, which said safety was “a primary area of focus”.
A spokesperson said the company invested “heavily in proactive tools, advanced detection systems and user education” and worked closely with law enforcement, “enabling authorities to share information and request data to support their investigations”.