MAINE, Maine — Valentine's Day is only weeks away and love is in the air. Many use online sites like Match.com, Tinder, or Grindr to look for love.
Maine is ranked as the safest state to find that special someone online according to HighSpeedInternet.com.
What makes it safe? The internet provider says Maine's record-low rates for cybercrimes and sexually transmitted diseases make it the safest.
The worst is Alaska. Citing the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Centers for Disease Control, Alaska has the most cybercrime victims and more people with STDs than any other state.
According to a Stanford study, online dating has become the most common way for Americans to find romantic partners.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation says internet dating sites are hotbeds for "romance scams" where a person gets taken advantage of financially in exchange for love.
The CDC believes there is a link between the increase in STDs and the use of online dating for people to meet.
In Maine, Gonorrhea cases increased nearly 200 percent, to 686, from 2014 to 2018. Syphilis cases have risen by almost 600 percent, to 104, in that same time frame. Acting Maine CDC Director Nancy Beardsley says the health consequences of sexually transmitted infections are serious enough that residents "know the facts about STDs and get tested if they believe they are at risk."
RELATED: Finding love in the golden years.
