A Seattle woman recently sounded the alarm about a potentially dangerous man she encountered on Hinge.
In a TikTok video that racked up over 690,000 views, Dani (@ddaannii107) shared her toxic dating app story, one that she felt was too important not to warn people about.
“Who the [expletive] did I go on a date with?” she started, jokingly referring to the famous 50-part TikTok series by creator ReesaTeesa.
In a more serious tone, she continues, “If you are a girl in Seattle, please, please please watch this video.”
Hinge match gone wrong
Dani explained how she matched with a man on Hinge over the summer.
“He was moving here from Scottsdale, Arizona and we started texting,” she recounted. “I think we hung out maybe 5 to 6 times, went on some dates, whatever.”
But things started feeling off pretty quickly. Her Hinge date tried to plan a December trip with her not long after they met, even though they’d only seen each other a handful of times. Dani recalled feeling it was way too soon.
“It just didn’t seem like a good idea,” she said. “I don’t even know if I’m still going to be talking to him in December.”
When she told him she wasn’t interested in planning a trip, his reaction set off some red flags. “I really don’t like how he’s handling this,” she said, so she decided to end things.
Dani tried to keep it straightforward, texting him that his reaction had been “off-putting” and that she didn’t see things going anywhere.
Months went by without contact until one night when Dani was out with friends, she posted a selfie on her Instagram story.
That’s when the Hinge date reappeared, responding to her story saying, “Go to King’s.”
Coincidentally, Dani was already there but wasn’t interested in seeing him again. When she ignored his message, he doubled down, messaging her on Snapchat as well. She ignored him again, which set him off even more.
Things escalate further
What followed was a series of nasty messages from the man. First, he told her, “Ew, I saw you,” and followed up with backhanded insults, saying that “for a Seattle girl, I’m not that bad.”
Dani decided she’d had enough and blocked him on Instagram and Snapchat, but he didn’t stop. He moved to text, asking why she blocked him, then adding that she was “an Arizona four and a Seattle seven.”
When she challenged him to say it to her face, he kept escalating, saying she needed a nose job, called her “ran through,” and went on to insult her even more.
As if that wasn’t enough, the Hinge man’s messages became downright hostile. He claimed he’d “never date a [expletive]” and told her to “kick rocks.” The irony, Dani pointed out, was that she was the one who had ended things in the first place, but Ken acted as if he’d been the one to reject her.
Looking back, Dani admitted that his words didn’t bother her personally.
“Luckily I am a very confident and secure person,” she said, but she also recognized that not everyone would feel the same way. What upset her most was the thought that he might treat other women like this.
She urged other women to watch out, showing his Instagram profile picture and warning, “Please be warned.”
The dangers of online dating
Online dating has become the main way people date nowadays. In fact, about one-third of U.S. bachelors actively use dating apps.
This digital approach to dating, however, isn’t risk-free. A recent Kaspersky study showed that most users tend to share personal information on their profiles or with people they barely know, potentially putting themselves in dangerous situations.
The study found some surprising tendencies: 1 out of 4 users said they disclose their full name on dating apps, while about 10% said they shared their home address or intimate photos.
This level of exposure can become dangerous very quickly if the information falls into the wrong hands, which may result in blackmail or even stalking.
Experts recommend strong passwords, avoiding unknown links, and keeping personal data private to minimize risks.
Viewers react
In a later video, Dani shared that 20 women have privately messaged her, sharing similar experiences they’ve had with this man on Hinge and elsewhere.
In the comments under the original video, users were appalled.
“Oh he was HURT HURT,” wrote one user.
“Wait what I have also been snapping him what,” wrote another seemingly horrified user.
“I’ll take the bear thank you,” joked another, referring to the popular TikTok trend.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Dani via Instagram and TikTok direct messages.
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