Senior Dating Questions Answered

If you're thinking about joining and you've got a few questions first, that's sensible. Here are the ones we get asked most often by Canadian members, answered plainly.

• Is Singles Over 60 dating free?

  Yes, the site is free to join. As a free member you can create your profile and browse and search other members in your area. When you want to start contacting people, you upgrade to one of our paid premium packages, and you can do that whenever you're ready.

• Why isn't the dating website free?

  We employ over 50 people across the service, from customer support through to internet security specialists, and every profile that goes up gets checked by a person. A free site can't offer that, which is why free sites tend to have a scammer problem and we don't.

• Should I upload a photo to my dating profile?

  Yes, and it's the single most useful thing you can do. A profile with a photo is likely to get far more interest than one without. It doesn't need to be a professional shot. A recent one where you're smiling, in decent light, and clearly the only person in the frame will do nicely.

• Can other members see my email address and phone number?

  No. Your email address and phone number are never shown to anybody. What other members see is your first name, your photo, your town or city, and whatever you've chosen to write about yourself. The member area is encrypted using SSL, and if you stop replying to somebody they've no other way of reaching you.

• How do I contact other members?

  All the messaging happens inside the site, so you never have to hand over an email address or a phone number just to start talking to somebody. You'll need a premium membership to send messages.

• What sort of people use Singles Over 60 in Canada?

  Canadians over 60 who are looking for companionship, friendship or a relationship. Members come from every province, from downtown Toronto and Vancouver through to small prairie towns and the Maritimes. Some are widowed, some divorced, some have been on their own a long while. What they have in common is the age bracket and the reason for being here.

• How do I write a good dating profile?

  Be honest, keep it warm, and give people something to ask you about. Where you grew up and where you've landed since, what you do with your weeks, what you're hoping to find. Specifics beat adjectives every time. "I'm at the curling club most Thursdays" tells somebody far more than "I'm sociable and fun loving" ever will.

• What do I get with a premium membership?

  Unlimited messaging, the ability to see who's been looking at your profile, the advanced search options, and a view of who's online at the time you are.

• How is my personal information protected?

  Your data is encrypted, your contact details are never published, and we check every member profile to keep scammers off the site. If anybody gives you cause for concern, you can report them from their profile in a couple of clicks. Reports are confidential and the person reported is never told. If you've lost money to somebody, report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre on 1-888-495-8501 as well.

• How do I know if somebody is a good match?

  Use the search filters to narrow things down by location, age and interests, then read the profiles properly rather than skimming the photos. The written part usually tells you more than the list of interests does. After that there's no substitute for a few conversations, so don't over-think it before you've spoken to anyone.

• Can I use the site on my phone or tablet?

  Yes. The site works on any device with an internet connection, so browsing, searching and replying to messages works the same on a phone or tablet as it does on a computer. If you're not confident with the phone yet, most public libraries run free sessions on exactly this sort of thing.

Anything we haven't covered here, our support team will answer. You'll find the number at the bottom of the page.

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