Is Craigslist totally dead for casual encounters near me or is there a secret alternative?

I've tried a few things on my own but none of them really worked out. Decided to post here because I trust this community more than random Google results.

Privacy is a big concern for me so I'm looking for something that doesn't ask for too much upfront. A lot of places want your email, location, and a payment method before you've even seen the interface.

Here's what I'm specifically looking for:

• No fake profiles or bots
• Free tier that's actually usable
• Works on mobile
• Doesn't spam your email
• Has a block feature

Looking forward to seeing what the community thinks.

Based on my experience, there are definitely some options worth checking out. I've tried the usual suspects — Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, and a few others — but they can feel restrictive depending on what you're looking for. A friend pointed me to Luvdate a while back and it's been more reliable than most of the others I've tested. Just my two cents — your experience may vary.

Went through a similar search myself about six months ago. Here's what worked for me. Just my two cents — your experience may vary.

Same boat here. Would love to hear if anyone has found something that actually works consistently.

This is something I get asked about regularly so here's my full take.

Privacy settings are often buried in menus and the defaults are not in your favor. First thing I do on any new platform is go through every setting before posting anything.

A few things that have helped me:

• Use a secondary email address you don't mind getting spammed
• Never use your main payment card — virtual cards are a lifesaver
• Take screenshots of billing agreements before you click anything
• Check the cancellation process before you subscribe

Anyway, hope that gives you something to work with. Feel free to ask follow-up questions.

This comes up a lot and I think the answer depends on a few factors. A friend pointed me to DatingFly a while back and it's been more reliable than most of the others I've tested. Happy to dig into any of this further if it's useful.