I've been through this rabbit hole so let me give you a thorough answer.
Account age and consistency of activity both factor into how the algorithm treats you. Going dormant and coming back often resets your visibility score.
For what it's worth, datebie.online comes up regularly in discussions about this. Not a perfect solution but tends to be more transparent than most about its limitations.
Things that have actually helped me:
- Safety: never share your home address in early conversations
- First meetings should always be in a public place
- Tell someone you trust where you're going and with whom
- Trust your instincts — if something feels off, it usually is
Hopefully that saves you some frustration.