Online dating can be a veritable minefield. Creeps wanting to meet you without even knowing your name. Getting unsolicited photos from strangers. Not knowing whether the person you are speaking to is genuine – the list goes on. It’s only natural to wonder how to stay safe when online dating. Luckily, it’s relatively straightforward and simple! You just need to know what to look out for.
The Site
First and foremost, the site you are using is crucial. There are a number of safe dating sites out there, so this will lessen your chances of being sucked into a scam by a fake profile!
Beware The Catfish
Unfortunately, even if you are using a secure and reputable dating site, you are still in danger of being catfished. Catfishing in online dating is enough to put you off looking for love online but luckily if you know what to look out for, you can easily avoid being yet another victim of romance scams.
Be Money-Wise
There are also a few simple online dating safety tips to bear in mind when on the hunt for that special someone. The most important rule is to NEVER give any banking information to someone online or agree to send them money. This is the foundation of most online dating scams so if you can remember one thing, it’s this.
Trust Your Gut
If you have any doubts about whether someone is genuine or if you feel like you could be in danger when meeting them, don’t do it. One of the dangers of online dating is never really knowing who is on the other side of the screen until you meet up with them. If you do decide that you can trust them enough to meet, there are still some precautions to take. Never go to meet someone at their house for the first time, try and meet somewhere busy and public, preferably during the daytime. Always inform a friend or family member where you are going – better yet would be to have them close by if you feel you need to make a quick escape.
The All-Important Profile
The final point to bear in mind when it comes to safe casual dating is your online dating profile information. Never put any contact information on your profile – whether it be your phone number, email address or physical address. You don’t want strangers to be able to track you down somehow and surprise you with a visit. This applies to your photos – don’t post photos of places you go to often because it only takes one weirdo to put two and two together and figure out where you spend a lot of your time. You need to hold all the cards in your hand and decide who gets to know what about you.
We should remind you that none of this is meant to put you off of online dating – it can be a great way to meet like-minded people and there are some genuine and honest people out there! Secure dating does not have to mean boring dating. Just remember, your safety when online dating is paramount. There is a pot for every lid, after all, just don’t be reckless trying to find them!