Tinder Now Lets US Users Background Check Their Matches

Tinder previously made it easier to avoid awkward matches. Now, the company has added low-cost background checks to its platform in a bid to increase user safety. It previously announced the partnership between Tinder's parent company Match Group and Garbo last year. Starting on March 9, 2022, Tinder users in the United States will be able to make use of Garbo's new online background check platform via the dating service's Safety Center.

The service will allow users to access public information about violent or harmful behavior like arrests, convictions, and even sex offended registry records when looking to match with someone. Garbo says that it should empower users to make more informed decisions about the people that they choose to interact with and meet from the Tinder platform.

Searching a user's background information on Tinder will allow you to see their public information for just $2.50, along with a small processing fee. Tinder is also offering two free background checks for every Tinder user limited to the first 500,000 searches.

Essentially, Tinder's partnership with Garbo should create a way for users to take more action and learn more about the people they match with before they meet them in person. This can help weed out any harmful matches you might come across, and since it's pretty cheap to check, you won't have to worry about your wallet taking a big hit to make sure you are safe before going out on a date.

Anyone can sign up to use Garbo's services on the company's website. However, Tinder users can interact directly with the service by tapping the blue shield within the Tinder app. This icon will take you to a help article, where you'll want to navigate to the tools section to be redirected to Garbo's website.

Once on Garbo's website, simply enter basic information about your match — Tinder says you'll only need their first name and phone number. The service will then search for any records related to that query. If no search results are found, it will prompt you for additional information, like the person's age.

By making the process simple and only requiring basic information, Tinder users should find Garbo extremely helpful. However, because the system relies on phone numbers and at least the first name to find results, you'll still need to be wary. There are plenty of programs and apps out there that let you get phone numbers for free, and you can easily pretend to be anybody on the internet.

As Tinder notes, it's still important to look for red flags that might point towards dishonesty or harmful behavior. You'll also want to trust your instincts and always take your own safety into account whenever deciding to meet up with another Tinder user.