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Tips for Online Dating Safety

“People are not always who they appear to be on the Internet. Spend time simply chatting and building trust before you meet in person.”

Meet chat friends in public places where there are sure to be other people around. You may want to invite a close friend to join you. If the person seems unwilling to meet at a public place, then you should be suspicious and reconsider whether you really want to meet in person.
If you decide to talk to someone on the phone, ask to call them. Make sure to use caller I.D. block (*67). If they ask to call you, do not give out your phone number, especially if it is a listed number or one that you share with your family. You may want to provide an Internet line or a mobile phone number.
Never go to someone’s house that you have just met. You may think they seem nice and can be trusted, but take some time to find out for sure. Don’t risk getting into a nasty situation you can’t get out of.
Tell someone that you’re on a blind date. Let a friend know where you’re going and what time you’ll be home. They can keep an eye on the time and check up on you should you be late.
Take a mobile phone with you if you can. Borrow a friend’s if you don’t have one.
Try and email for a week or more before meeting. That way, if the other party is genuine, they will be happy to get to know you via email first. Anyone who pushes for an instant (or even same night) visit should be treated with extreme caution and distrust.
Use a Nickname. Protect yourself against unwanted advances and use a gender-neutral nickname in chat rooms, discussion groups and on message boards.
Trust your instincts. If you pick up on contradictions or inconsistencies from your chat friend, or something doesn’t feel right when you’re talking on the phone, end the conversation.
If you are harassed online report it. If you are harassed online or victimized by someone you have met, let someone know.

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Tips for Online Dating Safety

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