Though the site is free, paid upgrades to offer to remove advertisements and give more photograph and email options, POF search options remain the same for both free and paid users.

Plenty of Fish is an online dating site which many people who are looking for free sites frequent or try at least once. Recently, finding people on Plenty of Fish (POF) became more difficult as the site used to include a “username search.”

Their username search helped users look up past users they remembered the username of or for someone they knew in real life and hoped to find. Initially, POF hid the feature, making it difficult to find but still allowing users to utilize it. Next, they removed the option altogether.

5 Ways to Do a POF Search

Many had used a hack of typing: www.pof.com/FOLLOWEDBYUSERNAME, into their web browser, once logged in, but doing so now gives users a warning that the feature has been “removed,” “had its name changed” or is “currently unavailable.” It’s a way to blow frequent users who were used to using the site for easy searches or to research POF scams.

However, not everyone is in search for usernames, and many people are still interested in finding someone based on their age, location, or details!

Luckily, there are still ways to search out Plenty of Fish profiles. Follow our easy guide to quickly do a POF search (and find who you’re looking for!).

Search Tip #1: Private Search or Not

Upon logging in and creating a profile, you need to determine if you want the person you’re looking for to find you in return. If you’re in search of someone you suspect is cheating, keep your profile free of personal photographs, familiar screen names, or your exact details. Typically, people search for someone they want to find and connect with; thus don’t mind.

However, if you are searching because you suspect your partner is cheating on you, are worried about a catfish, or are testing the waters before connecting with another person or profile, it can be best to leave your profile reasonably blank. Otherwise, the person you’re looking for might find you, before you see them, and hide their profile from you or remove it.

Search Tip #2: How to Perform a POF Search via Basic Search and Advanced Search

NOTE: To perform these types of searches on the POF website, you will need to upgrade your membership on your dating profile.

Basic Search

Click the light blue POF button at the top left of the window, then select SEARCH. Though pretty much self-explanatory, select SEARCH to get started. On the next screen you’ll be given multiple options to fine-tooth comb the site for the person you hope to find. It will begin as a “basic search.”

Gender, Age, and Location

After logging in and creating enough of a POF profile to get started, make sure to sync the details of what you’re looking for with the person you want to find. Consider gender, age, and geographic location as the top choices to make. However, only select a limited POF username search (for instance, searching one age or 5 miles from zip code) if you are 100% positive of the age or area they’ll use online.

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Keep in mind that people DO alter their age as they get older or even their age and location, to mask their identity when cheating, etc. The same goes for selecting other specific options, try a limited search, but if that doesn’t yield results, give yourself an age or location, etc., buffer.

Other Details

In addition to gender, age, and geographic location, you will have the opportunity to select education, last (site) visit, dating intent, body type, distance from a (or your) zip code, city, ethnicity, newest users or users since your last visit, or state. It is important to note that you can select “any” for these options.

If you aren’t sure what you’re looking for in that category or don’t want to limit yourself, skip that option, and leave it as “any.” Or, try out one selection, and then it’s opposite.

Remember, in the case of infidelity even if someone is looking for something “casual” or “on the side,” that doesn’t mean they’ll tell others that. Perhaps they’ll select “dating” or “wanting a relationship” to hide their intent!

Advanced Search

After looking at the regular search feature, you might want to search for additional options. To the right of the “Basic Search” tab, on the SEARCH page, you will see the option to select “Advanced Search.” Advanced Search is best for those genuinely looking for their ideal match but can help to look for old matches or someone you want to find the profile. With “Advanced Search,” options abound! You can select “pets,” “eye color,” “profession,” “income,” and more. If you know what you’re looking for in a search, this might be the difference between you finding it and not.

Search Tip #3: My Matches

Click the light blue POF button at the top left of the screen. Click on “My Matches” and select the age range and distance. My Matches is more of a passive search, as users will be matched to you, immediately and over time. You can also decide if you want to get a match with “new users” or “users I’ve not contacted.” The latter can be an excellent way to eliminate users you’ve already ruled out.

The benefit of using “My Matches” is that someone who has left the site or uses it sporadically might pop up without you putting in much effort!

Search Tip #4: My City

Click the light blue POF button at the top left of the screen. If you haven’t had luck with the previous searches and live in the same city as the person and profile you’re looking for, another passive search is to enter in distance and location information on the “My City” selection.

While My City doesn’t do anything different than the regular search page can do, it is a streamlined and more straightforward search field. My City is helpful if you’re feeling overwhelmed by too many options and think searching nearby will help your research most.

Search Tip #5: Bring in Backup Help

If your POF search has left you frustrated or given few or no results or things seem suspicious, then it might be time to try outside searches. If you haven’t had luck with the POF search, then sites like Social Catfish can be useful.

By using Social Catfish’s reverse image lookup, the site will do a master search of the Internet, as a whole, which often finds personal details and profiles in places one never expected to look. Social Catfish is helpful if you have limited time, are frustrated with the results you’ve had elsewhere (or lack of!), or want to search smart and fast!

Search usernames, emails, birth, and married names so that you find the information the moment it appears online. Also, if you want our personalized help, we could help you run a dating background check with the help of our Search Specialists or see what you can do it you’ve been catfished here.

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