"Verified" - what does it mean exactly and what are recommended best practices?

Hi All, Another question from a noob couple looking to make new lifestyle friends. We notice many/most posts require potential partners to be "verified", and while we understand the WHY, we're not clear on the HOW. Would love to know how you go about verifying that the folks you meet online are who they say they are. What are best practices to make sure you're not wasting your time building relationships with fakes or frauds? Thanks for your guidance and advice!