6 Tips on How Safely to Connect with Someone Online
Oct 04, 2018
We’ve all heard the horror stories of first dates turning deadly. Whilst it’s enough to make you swear to never log into your dating app or website ever again, there are some simple methods to ensure that you stay safe.
Naturally, this is more of a general concern for women than it is for men, but that doesn’t mean that men don’t need to be careful when it comes to meeting strangers online. Here are six tips to help you stay safe on your search for the perfect partner.
1. Do Some Digging
Online dating profiles don’t tend to give us a lot of personal information which we can use to pin someone down via Googling them prior to the date. But, what you can do, is save a picture from their profile and use the Google image search function. Simply drop a picture into the search bar, and any website or profile associated with that image will pop up in the results. NEVER meet someone who doesn’t have a profile picture. In this day and age, there’s no excuse not to have a few snaps!
2. Don’t Give Your Details Away Straight Away!
Whilst it can be tempting to give away your phone number, email address or social media links as soon as you start chatting with someone. Don’t, once they’ve got that information, there’s no taking it back. Take a couple of days getting to know them, if you see a red flag, they are simply a block away!
3.Have a Conversation First
In our online world, not everyone likes picking up the phone. Yet, no one likes spending hours of their lives getting to know someone for it to only lead to disappointment. Have a friendly 5-minute chat with your potential suitor before you think about agreeing to a date with them.
4. Some Things Should Be Kept Public
When you’re as sure as you can be that the person you are talking to isn’t a serial killer arrange a date in a public space. Whether this is in a restaurant, bar, or art gallery or bowling alley, make sure you pick somewhere well lit and well attended by other members of the public. It may make you feel even safer to choose a place you are familiar with.
5. Don’t do a Bunk
If you’re going on a date, let someone know where you are going and who you are going to meet. You don’t need to announce it to the world, just a simple text to a close friend or family member will do. Keep them updated throughout the date.
6. Trust Your Instinct
If something doesn’t feel right when you’re out with your date, always trust your instinct and never be afraid to cut a date short if you are feeling uncomfortable. You can always let a member of staff at the meeting place know.