Online dating has been here for a while now while many people are traditional when it comes to dating it is undeniable that online dating has gained popularity ever since the pandemic.
With this said it is also true that many online dating sites have become platforms for cybercrime among others.
Here, I am going to share some of the precautions and care tips you must take before meeting someone online.
1. Make the right dating site choice
All dating sites can be categorised depending on the type of dating the users intend to look for.
In some dating sites, you will meet people who are only seeking casual relationships or hook up while in some users are intending a long-term commitment.
Depending on what you’re looking for you should read the reviews to make sure that they indeed have good standing in terms of their security features and user identification.
You may visit Britain reviews.co.uk to read reviews about some of these dating sites. A good place to start is by looking at Urban Social‘s feedback or a platform like Elite Singles.
2. Do not share your personal information
However, most of these dating websites are trying to improve their security, it is up to you to make sure that you do not share or give much of your personal information.
Do not;
- Share your home address with anybody.
- Post pictures of your workplace
- Post pictures with landmark indicators of your location
- Giveaway your phone number
- Give out information about your friends or family.
3. Get to know them
One of the most important things you must always remember when dating online is that before deciding to go on a first date you must know more than just the basic mission about that person.
4. Do you research
Most certainly we have at least once been an online detective.
Channelling your inner detective powers comes in handy when you want to know more about the person you’ve just met online.
Use their name and try to find them on social media so that you can verify that they are indeed a real person and not some pseudo account.
5. Meet in a public place
Decide to me to the person you’ve met online make sure that you choose a public location.
This will prevent any person from trying to take advantage of the other or making unnecessary advances during the first date.
If you so decided to head out for dinner make sure it’s in a restaurant and not in a residential home.
6. Tell somebody you will be heading out
It is also important to let somebody know when you will be heading out, at what time should I expect you to be back, and whom you are going to meet.
Share with them some of the information about the person including their phone number, where they live or work.
Let that person know that they can come to pick you up or call you when you’re not home in time.
This can be a friend or a family member and they will be your emergency contact in case anything goes wrong.
7. Drive to or call a ride
Another precaution to take when you go out for a date is to drive yourself to the location where you’re meeting this person.
If you do not have a car you can have your friend drop you there and come pick you up at a certain time.
A good option is to also call a ride.
What you should not do is to have your date pick you up or drop you off.
You must know that strangers should not be trusted and you can never truly know the intentions of somebody.
Better to have your means of transportation instead of using your date’s ride.
8. Do not drink on your first date
One other important thing that you must remember and take as a precaution is that you should not drink on your first date with somebody you’ve just met online.
When you are intoxicated chances of you being taken advantage of is very high and it is very common these days.
Being taken advantage of is not the only reason why you should not drink on your first date.
There are things that you can do that will set your date off like being rowdy, letting out your deepest secret, being insulting to other people, or making advances to your date.
If you have to drink on your first date and make sure that it is limited amounts that cannot affect your judgement.
Conclusion:
Exercising the listed precautions will set you off on a good date and a safer one.
Remember to take precautions right from where you meet them to when you end your first date. Good luck!