TanTan SMS Verification

Join one of China's well-known dating apps by passing the TanTan SMS verification step with a virtual number, and keep your real number private until you trust a match.

TanTan (探探) is a location-based dating and social discovery app launched in China in 2014 and acquired by the Chinese social network company Momo in 2018. You swipe right to like a profile and left to pass, and a chat opens only when both people like each other. Sign-up relies on phone verification, which helps cut fake profiles and protects the account.

You enter a virtual number on the sign-up screen and confirm the code it receives. That makes sense for foreigners living in or moving to China, learners who want to practise Mandarin and meet new people, and anyone who would rather not tie a personal number to a dating app. Bear in mind that some virtual numbers may be rejected.

Meet first in busy public places, hold back your address and workplace early on, and be wary of profiles that ask for money or steer you towards an investment opportunity. Because the account is tied to the number, re-verification may be required later. Review the app's location permissions and privacy settings regularly.