Safety Tips
Meeting on the Internet is similar to meeting offline. As long as you follow standard dating precautions, Internet dating can be safe and enjoyable. Just remember: Trust your instincts and use common sense.
- You are in control when it comes to taking an online relationship offline. You have an advantage online because you can get to know a good deal about your prospective date before you meet in person. The best way to stay safe is to make sure you feel absolutely comfortable. If you have any concern about a person, just don't meet him or her. It's that simple.
- Never include your personal contact information in your profile, especially telephone numbers, e-mail, home address, work information or your last name, and only provide this information when you feel that you can trust the person. It's okay to take your time. While complete anonymity can never be guaranteed, it is prudent to limit the information that you post online.
- Set up an e-mail account just for online dating.
- On and offline ask a lot of questions and watch for inconsistencies.
- Stay away from members who won't take no for an answer or pressure you for any kind of personal information. Serious cyber-savvy daters will respect your space and allow you to take your time.
- Chatting on the phone can reveal much about a person's communication and social skills. Consider your security and do not reveal your personal phone number to a stranger. Try a cell phone number instead or use local telephone blocking techniques to prevent your phone number from appearing in Caller ID. Only furnish your phone number when you feel completely comfortable.
- Beware of:
- Displays of anger, intense frustration or attempts to pressure or control you in any way.
- Inconsistent information about age, interests, appearance, marital status, profession, employment, etc.
- Refusals to talk on the phone after establishing ongoing, online intimacy. Evasive answers to direct questions.
- An appearance that differs significantly in person from his or her online persona.
- Reluctance to introduce you to friends, professional associates or family members.
- When you choose to meet offline, always tell a friend where you are going and when you will return, as well as the name and number of your date. Never arrange for your date to pick you up at home. Provide your own transportation, meet in a public place at a time with many people around, and when the date is over, leave on your own as well. If you decide to move to another location, take your own transportation. When the timing is appropriate, thank your date for getting together and say goodbye.
- If you are traveling from another city, arrange for your own transportation and hotel room. Do not disclose the name of your hotel and never allow your date to make the arrangements for you. Call your date from the hotel or meet at the location you have already agreed to. If the location seems inappropriate or unsafe, go back to your hotel. Try to contact your date at that location or leave a message on a home machine. Always make sure a friend or family member knows your plans and has your contact information. And if possible, carry a cell phone at all times.
- Never do anything you feel unsure about. If you are in any way afraid of your date, use your best judgment to defuse the situation and leave. Excuse yourself long enough to call a friend, ask someone else on the scene for help, or slip out the back door. If you feel you are in danger, call the police; it's always better to be safe than sorry. Never worry or feel embarrassed about your behavior; your safety is much more important than one person's opinion of you.
While dishonest or unstable people are certainly on the Web, you'll also find them in nightclubs and offline dating services, cocktail parties or even sitting across from you at your local cafe. Regardless of where you meet someone, dating is never a risk-free activity. A little caution will reduce your risk and ensure that help make your dating a safer, more enjoyable experience.
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