Online Dating Safety Tips

By The Real Me

Some pointers and tips for those new to the world online dating.

Use a screen name
Something using your first name, or a nickname is fine, but unless you’re looking for something casual, keep away from sexual references and innuendo.

Use a webmail account
Don’t use your private home email or work email account when you join an online dating site. It’s much easier – and more private – to have a separate email account from which to manage your dating life.

Keep your privates private
Don’t include personal, identifying details in your profile, or reveal them to people you do not trust or have built a rapport with. These include your full name, home address, phone number or place of work, or any other detail which may identify you.

Get to know people
Spend time asking questions and getting to know your new friends online. Make sure you are completely comfortable with them before taking things to the next level.

Use the phone
Once you’ve spent some time chatting online and via email, you may be ready to take things to the next level – a phone call is a great next step. There’s no need to rush into a face-to-face meeting. Take your time and build up your relationship and trust in the other person before taking your friendship offline.

Meet when you are ready to
There may come a time when you wish to meet your new online friends in person. Or, you may have an online relationship and decide that you do not want to take things further and meet face-to-face. There is no expectation that you should meet someone you have been chatting to online, and there should never be any pressure from the other party to meet with you.

Cancel if you need to
If you feel uncertain or intimidated by the prospect of meeting someone you have chatted with online, it is only wise to cancel the meeting. When dating online, it pays to pay attention to your instinct and gut feelings.

The first meeting
When meeting for the first time, it’s recommended that you choose a familiar location in a place that you can get to and from easily, such as a busy café. Travel to and from the date with your own transport, and if you move venues, travel your own way to the next location.

Tell a friend
Tell a trusted friend or family member where you are going on your date – and with whom. Make sure you write down your date’s name, phone number and email address, and you’re your friend what time you will be back.

Have a safety net
It’s a common practice to arrange a friend to call you at a pre-arranged time during your first dates with someone new, to both check that you’re OK, and offer you an excuse to end the day early, if needs be.

Keep things short
A short date, like coffee, is a good way to see if you have something in common with your date. You can always make another date if things are going well...

For more information on online dating safety, please refer to your online dating site’s FAQ or Help page.

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