OnlyFans: Is It a Safe Platform for Users and Content Creators?

OnlyFans is a subscription-based platform that lets creators share exclusive media directly with their fans. Typically, materials shared on this platform are adult content. 

With over 170 million users, OnlyFans is now one of the most visited sites worldwide — garnering one billion monthly visits from content creators and subscribers.

The site works like a social media platform, except you must pay for a subscription to follow a certain profile. Free-to-follow profiles exist, but OnlyFans will still ask for your payment information.

The question now is: is OnlyFans safe for fans and content creators? Continue reading to find out. 

Is OnlyFans Safe?

Yes, the platform is generally safe for OnlyFans content creators and subscribers. While there are some legal concerns from different countries regarding content on the platform, it is also perfectly legal.

Security measures are in place to ensure the safety of all OnlyFans users. Some of these are:

1. Creators must be verified before they can earn. Payouts are wired directly to their bank accounts.
2. OnlyFans content creators can be anonymous using an unrecognized username or not showing faces. They can also filter the country that can view their profiles and block subscribers.
3. Though OnlyFans subscribers must provide their card info, transactions are protected by 3D-secure payment processing. Identifying the IP address, device, and location is necessary for each transaction to verify legitimacy.
4. OnlyFans users can activate two-factor authentication to avoid being hacked even if their passwords are compromised.

Risks Of Using OnlyFans

With over 2 million content creators across platforms over the internet, there are bound to be dangers lurking behind the screen.

OnlyFans is safe, but it does not mean zero risks are involved. Threats to privacy and security still exist when using this platform. 

Let’s take a closer look at each one: 

Data Breaches

Data breaches are a worldwide phenomenon that cost businesses roughly $4.35 million on average. Unfortunately, OnlyFans is no exception.

OnlyFans now require content creators to verify their identities by providing personally identifiable information. The platform can ask for government IDs like passports or driver’s licenses before allowing creators to be monetized.

This makes it harder for cybercriminals to earn money from stolen content from other platforms. 

However, OnlyFans can be a bigger subject to data breaches after storing valuable information. Bigger platforms like Facebook are not even safe from this threat.

Stalking

This primarily involves content creators. Stalking incidents by unruly fans are being reported every day. While it's not a crime to look for someone on OnlyFans, some people take being a fan of a creator to extreme lengths through blackmailing and stalking.

1 in 3 women has been victimized by stalkers at some point. Content creators from OnlyFans are primarily female, with a majority of male subscribers.

Popular personalities like OnlyFans creators are at higher risk by being more exposed. Overly zealous fans may end up with “fatal attraction syndrome,” which involves obsessive, destructive, and compulsive behaviors. 

Some creators can also be on the receiving end of unhealthy parasocial relationships with their fans. While these aren’t inherently bad, parasocial relationships can be problematic when they cause unhealthy anxiety, stress, and obsession, such as the guy on this Reddit post.

Horror stories of “fans” going to extreme lengths to stalk OnlyFans creators are way too common on the internet. Yikes!

Phishing and Malware

More than 300,000 phishing incidents happened in 2022. Like any other platform, scams are also prevalent in OnlyFans. 

Malicious subscribers and creators use the site's direct messaging feature to lure people into phishing websites. These scam accounts usually offer free content to subscribers or act as promotion agents for small creators to popularize their profiles. 

There’s a compelling reason why 53% of women feel unsafe on the internet. After all, suspicious links can also be distributed through DMs on platforms such as OnlyFans. These links can lead to unwanted downloads of malware and viruses.

Unfortunately, this is an added risk for OnlyFans users since 46% of women are more likely to experience hacking.

Malware is a gateway to compromising your devices, files, and online identity. Many hacking cases start from inconspicuous malware getting into your device. Since July 2023, more than 490 million ransomware attacks have been reported. 

In June 2023, reports of a malware campaign using OnlyFans content to lure unsuspecting victims surfaced through explicit photos. Known as ‘DcRAT,’ the remote access Trojan allows malicious hackers to steal data and credentials or garrison your device using ransomware.

How To Stay Safe On OnlyFans?

No matter how liberal our society has become, being involved in pornographic work (either as a creator or a consumer) is still frowned upon by people.

Although OnlyFans is not exclusive to sharing adult content, it is the type of content that made this platform popular. There are anecdotal reports of individuals being fired after discovering their OnlyFans account.

While it’s impossible to maintain complete anonymity on this platform, there are ways to stay safe on Onlyfans for content creators and subscribers.

Here are our recommendations:

1. Use An Anonymous Email Address 

With 5.59 billion active email accounts globally, hackers know that it’s a lucrative business to steal people’s login credentials due to the information it contains.

You can get away with using an alias or a rubbish username in OnlyFans. However, that means nothing if you used your email address when you signed up.

Moreover, it’s useful to separate your personal and business or work e-mail accounts for an added layer of security. If you’ve already done this, you’re not alone. People own an average of 1.75 email addresses to protect and safeguard their online identity.

We recommend using an anonymous email like ProtonMail. It is free and doesn’t require personal information to set up. 

You just need to go to the ProtonMail site. Then, choose your username and password. After that, do the CAPTCHA to create an account.

2. Set Up Two-Factor Authentication 

This is an added security in case your password is compromised, or you encounter a phishing attack. 

OnlyFans requires credit card info to subscribe to a creator. The payment information is saved in the account. This means it can be used for unwanted subscriptions once an account is hacked.

However, OnlyFans doesn’t refund unwanted transactions. While it’s good that only the last four numbers of the card are shown on the OnlyFans account page, it is still best to set up stronger security. 

Here’s how to activate two-factor authentication in OnlyFans:

1. Click the three dots on the right side of your OnlyFans profile. Go to Settings.
2. Click on Account. Scroll down to Security options.
3. Select Two-Step Authentication.
4. Toggle on Verification via SMS. Enter your phone number and hit Save. 

3. Install Antivirus Software

Antivirus programs detect 350,000 viruses daily, protecting you and your devices from malware and viruses.

Leading antivirus tools can detect, quarantine, and disable malware before they affect your system.

Many of these tools can also detect phishing sites through their tried and tested features, giving you advanced warnings before visiting them.

4. Use A VPN When Browsing

Website logs containing the IP addresses of its visitors. OnlyFans uses these logs to identify its visitor traffic from every country. 

However, this information can also be exposed through data breaches. This is why using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is highly recommended for users of this site.

Here are some of the top VPN providers that can protect you while surfing on OnlyFans.

• McAfee
• Surfshark
• VuzeVPN
• NordVPN

NordVPN hides your traffic with 256-AES encryption and changes your IP address to one of its virtual servers.

It has a strict no-logs policy leaving no footprints of your activities with OnlyFans.

5. Avoid Creating Content Showing Recognizable Landmarks

This is for content creators. 

Though it sounds overly cautious, showing even the most minute detail of your home surroundings can be used to identify your location. 

It’s insufficient to hide your address or general location on your OnlyFans account. You also have to be mindful of what your content gives out. This also applies to your chats with fans.

Conclusion

Creating content or subscribing to an account in OnlyFans is not only profitable, but it’s also enjoyable for both creators and users. It has saved content creators and subscribers from boredom and financial issues during the pandemic lockdowns.

Following the tips above to stay safe while using OnlyFans is the best way to secure these benefits while minimizing risks.