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Avoiding the Tinder Swindlers Whilst Meeting New People
How we used to meet people The days of meeting somebody in the pub, club or out and about are...
read moreWe caught up with Alexandra our senior membership advisor and a commonly asked question -
One of the most common questions I get asked as a Personal Matchmaker and Membership Advisor is do people really join an introductions agency – and the answer is, of course, yes!
More and more of us are turning to introduction agencies as a result of not meeting potential partners in our daily lives. It comes to no surprise that with covid and more of us working from home that it made it less likely that we could perhaps meet someone through our career, but with that, the question is, where does one turn to?
We face constant challenges
In the modern world the majority of us lead a life in the world of working and we have less time than ever before to proactively search for a partner. We also value our own time and appreciate quality time spent with those we are closest to putting ourselves as a priority to the bottom of the pile. We grew up in life, led to believe that we should meet someone organically - but how successful is that really to be? Not only because it is less likely to meet someone walking down the street or in a local bar nowadays, but because of the time element and us wanting to spend time with our loved ones. We also need to question the longevity of the relationship when we meet someone this way and the history in that divorce was not acceptable until recent years…
Online dating – is this an option for you?
Online dating is an affordable alternative, but do you really want to share your most intimate personal details for the world to see? In the role that I work in and having spoken to many people over the years, most of our clients here at Matchmakers Dating would prefer a more discreet, confidential service as opposed to someone online having access to their details. All it takes is for those details to get into the wrong hands.
We also cater for clients who are in the face of the public and need privacy when it comes to their dating life. As a doctor, you would hate for your date to walk into your surgery one day – that’s all you need!
We also hear more and more of the scammers that ask for money. The do it very cleverly and very subtly and can even scam the strongest of people. I have witnessed it myself on a number of occasions, when a person tells me that they have “fallen in love”, with someone from overseas, has sent them money without even meeting them. Loneliness very often contributes to this sort of vulnerability. These scammers are awfully clever at how they target their victims, of which any one of us could be.
You just never who you are meeting too! There is no vetting process through the use of online dating sites and therefore, you could be meeting married men or women. Not only that, but these people could also have criminal convictions or been involved in financial fraud so you have to do everything you possibly can to protect yourself. By using an introductions service, we can filter through these kinds of people for you.
Meeting in bars and restaurants is a thing of the past
In my generation, meeting in bars and clubs were a popular way of finding a partner, but the statistics say that over 70% of people you are in contact with on a night out are married or in a committed relationship already. So, this may well be a strong recommendation to avoid.
How Personal Matchmaking begun
In the beginning there was only ever traditional Personal Matchmaking which has been around almost since time began.
In history, most towns and villages would have had an elder who was recognised as a ‘Matchmaker’ and someone who traditionally bought people together.
Parents and other senior members of a family acted as ‘Matchmakers’ which still applies today in many countries and cultures.
In earlier times often love was not always the primary consideration as legacy and the creation of wealth, economic stability and political alliances were more the driving factors, once again they are still a primary factor in some cultures.
The first dating agency
In 1705 the first Dating Agency had been formed in London - known as a ‘matrimonial agency’ in those early days with ‘gentlemen’ using them to find a wife.
The ‘coming of age’ was at 21 which was a major landmark with people worrying about ‘being left on the shelf’ after that point.
Personal Ad’s continued as the most popular way of meeting until the boom of the Dating Agency in the USA after the Great War and caught on in Britain too with Jenner and Mary Oliver beginning the first modern UK agency in Bond Street, Mayfair in 1939.
The facts and the figures
- Statistically, one third of marriages have ended in divorce over the past 50 years. Divorce rates have changed over the past 20 years, and they vary by age group but here are some interesting facts -
- In 2020, there were 1,154 divorces among same-sex couples which increased by 40.4% from 2019; of these, the majority continued to be accounted for by female same-sex divorces (71.3%).
- Unreasonable behaviour was the most common reason for wives petitioning for divorce; for husbands, the most common reason for divorces was a two-year separation, accounting for 34.7% of divorces followed by 33.8% for unreasonable behaviour.
- In 2020, the average duration of marriage at the time of divorce was 11.9 years, a decrease from 12.4 years in 2019.
We turn to experts in every other aspect of our life so why not when it comes to finding love
In life, we can’t be expected to be a person of all trades, it’s physically and mentally impossible to be able to do it all, as much as some of us might like to! But we call upon the experts when we need a helping hand, perhaps you have a pipe that needs fixing – call a plumber; or maybe, your house needs re-wiring – call an electrician; want to look glam for a cocktail evening – call a hairdresser!
It’s simple, Matchmakers are experts at putting people together so have trust and faith in the journey of finding love and allow yourself to be truly happy.
