SOURCE: Consumer Reports "It's clear that online dating websites play a major role in the lives of many consumers — we invest a tremendous amount of time, money and emotional energy.It really is a consumer issue worthy of our attention." said Margot Gilman, money editor for Consumer Reports.Show that you're humble through a joke, a self-effacing story or a humorous anecdote. To make a strong first impression, use anecdotes instead of a string of adjectives describing yourself.Never lie about your age or what you do for a living. Grouper sets you up with a match, then lets both parties bring along two friends.Down can be used for dating as well, but let’s be honest: This app still lives up to its former name. Trint Me allows shy users to initiate the next step behind the veil of their smartphones.However, they do have a live help service at their homepage to talk you through joining.

But size isn’t everything – as anyone who has just wrapped up a three-hour swiping session on Tinder will attest.On Valentine's Day, some singles may be inspired to step up their dating game. Amy Giberson, now 34, was reluctant to try internet dating again but she decided to give it one more shot in 2014. There are a slew of sites and apps to help singles find love and, for the most part, they work, according to Consumer Reports.She downloaded the Match app and connected with Justin Pounders, also 34, almost immediately. Nearly half, or 44 percent, of those who tried online dating said it led to a serious long-term relationship or marriage, the magazine found.More » The largest of the free dating sites, POF boasts an (estimated) 23 million unique members using the site every month.While owner Markus Frind has wiped the site of folks only looking for casual dating or an age-gap relationship, I've found this has only increased the incidence of folks lying about their age or intentions.