Plenty of Fish (POF) is one of the most popular online dating platforms, with over 90 million registered users. With so many profiles, it can be difficult to tell which ones are active and up-to-date. Here are some tips on how to check if a POF dating profile is active or not:
Table of Contents
Check Their Last Online Status
One of the easiest ways to check if someone’s POF profile is active is to look at their last online status.
When you search for profiles on POF, you can sort the results by “Last Online”. This will show when the user was last active on POF:
- Online Now
- Online Today
- Online This Week
- Online Last 30 Days
If the profile shows one of these statuses, it means the user has been active recently. However, do keep in mind that the “Online Now” status can sometimes be inaccurate if the user doesn’t properly log out.
If there is no last online status displayed at all, it likely means the user has not logged into POF for over 30 days. In that case, their profile is probably inactive.
Check Their Profile for Recent Activity
In addition to the last online status, also look for signs of recent activity on their actual profile:
- Recent profile edits – If parts of their profile text seem freshly written, that’s a good indication they still maintain the profile.
- Current location – If their stated location matches where you’d expect them to be, the profile is probably active.
- Recent photos – Check if their photos look current. Images with recent fashion and hairstyles suggest an active profile.
- Prompt reply to messages – Try sending them a message. If they reply relatively quickly, their profile is likely active. But take care not to send anything inappropriate.
Search External Platforms
You can also investigate whether the person is active on other social media platforms:
- Search for them by name on Facebook, Instagram etc.
- See if the photos or details from their POF profile appear on their other social media accounts.
- If the photos or bio info seems outdated across platforms, their POF profile is likely inactive too.
- You could also try a reverse image search on their profile pictures to see if they show up elsewhere recently.
Consider Creating a Free Profile
Some search features on POF are only available for paid (“upgraded”) members. So you may need to create a free profile first to access options like:
- Username search
- Viewing who visited your profile
- Seeing if your messages were read
However, take care not to misrepresent yourself or misuse anyone’s personal information from the site.
Use External Background Checks
For a more definitive check, consider using external background check services like Social Catfish. These services can:
- Perform reverse phone lookups to identify owners.
- Reveal a person’s online footprint across multiple dating sites.
- Dig up address history, marriage & divorce records if available publicly.
This can conclusively establish if someone is actively maintaining an online dating profile. But note that such services aren’t free and the depth of information varies.
Consider Directly Asking the Person
If all else fails, you could directly ask the person whether they still actively use their POF profile. However, take extreme care in approaching this tactfully without making accusations or violating personal boundaries.
A simple “Hey, do you still use your POF profile?” may work if you know the person well. If unsure, it’s safer not to ask directly.
In Summary
- Checking last online status is the easiest way to identify if a POF dating profile is active.
- Look for signs of recent activity on the profile itself as well.
- Search for the person on other platforms to cross-verify info.
- Make use of POF search features by creating a free account.
- Use external background checks for definitive proof a profile is active.
- If needed, ask directly but tread very cautiously.
I hope these tips help you figure out if a POF dating profile truly belongs to an active user before investing time or effort messaging them. Let me know if you have any other questions!
