How to Stay Safe When Meeting Someone Online

Creating relationships on the Internet is very interesting, since you will most probably find your soul mate or at least somebody else on Internet dating sites.

However, there is a certain effort involved in moving from Internet communication to face-to-face interaction. Not everybody who communicates with you on the Internet proves to be the same as they want you to think.

One does not need to stop meeting people via the Internet. Here is the important part. You will have no problems once you figure out how to do it right.

Here are some tips to ensure your safety when making connections online.

 

Do Not Haste To Meet Them

 

Perhaps one of the easiest ways to keep yourself safe is not rushing into a physical meeting.

Do not rush into meeting people you happen to come across on the internet until you have taken enough time to see if they always tell you the same thing, and to show respect for your questions and limits.

It does not mean that you should share everything about yourself. It is better to keep passwords and your addresses private.

 

Watch out for Warning Signals

 

If you encounter any new person, follow your intuition if you feel something is not quite right.

Some warning signals include an individual who continually changes their story, an individual who cannot provide a logical explanation of themselves, an individual who makes you move to another place immediately, or an individual who becomes too controlling.

Another major warning sign is when someone you have never met before asks you for financial help in any form, such as a loan or a gift card.

These cases can include romantic scams, in which an individual builds a romantic connection with another for personal gain.

 

Identity Confirmation of Your Online Interlocutor

 

At the stage of organizing your online appointment, it would be helpful to know who the interlocutor is.

The video conversation could prove useful here because it allows you to confirm that the interlocutor matches their photos and description. It’s also a way to see if they refuse to answer simple questions about themselves or make up some excuses not to chat via video.

Another thing to do is conduct some research using publicly available information. For more details, check out the article Should You Google Someone Before a First Date from Flirbate on whether it is okay to google someone before meeting up. It doesn’t guarantee that the intentions behind those actions are pure, but at least you’ll have some idea about possible discrepancies.

In case the person’s identity seems suspicious in any way, there is no point in continuing the conversation just because you’ve invested effort into it.

 

Maintain Privacy of Personal Details

 

Internet safety begins even before meeting.

You mustn’t mention anything that could potentially reveal your location and enable the other party to access your account. Take care when providing information about your residential address, office address, financial situation, ID documents, and password.

In addition, you need to be mindful of the data you post on your dating or social networking sites. Sometimes, even an innocent picture could give away more information than you intended to.

Privacy is key to being in control.

Boundary-setting can help here. In case you need specific suggestions on how to go about it, you may refer to this post on how to set boundaries early in dating.

 

Public Venue for the First Meeting

 

When meeting new acquaintances you have met online in person, it is better to meet in a public place.

A public place like a cafe, shopping mall or any other place where there are people around is always better than meeting at an isolated or private venue. The best would be to go somewhere you are familiar with and where there are other people too.

For the first meeting, you should try to make your own arrangements to get there and get back home.

 

Tell Someone Where You Are Going

 

When you are planning to meet someone you met online, you must tell your friends or relatives where you are heading.

Provide them with all the information about the person you will be meeting and where and when. In fact, you can plan on having an update sent to them while you are there.

For extra security, consider sharing your live location while you are out.

 

Be Aware of Dating Frauds and Scams

 

Not all disappointing interactions on dating sites are scams; however, dating frauds do exist.

For example, they may claim that only you can help them and that they will pay you back later.

In case a stranger requests money from you, you need to be careful in your response. This is regardless of your intention to prove your love by sending money.

 

Think about Video Chatting before Meeting

 

If you are not ready for the discussion, you do not have to go through the process just because you feel obliged to.

Another option for you is to have a video call before meeting in person.

The general rule here is obvious – allow yourself sufficient time to get comfortable with the connection.

 

Exit Strategy

 

There is no obligation to remain in the meeting just because you had initially agreed to participate.

If there is a different behavior exhibited by that individual than what was shown online- aggressive tendencies, boundary pushing, or if you feel uncomfortable- you can leave.

You should consider how you will make your exit before the meeting. It is also possible to have an easy code word with someone who knows you well enough so they know when you need an excuse to leave.

Comfort level should be taken into account.

 

Listen To Your Intuition

 

It is not all about detecting a clear threat; at times, intuition tells us something that cannot be expressed in words.

If anyone ever makes you feel uneasy or intimidates you by constantly ignoring your personal space, you don’t have to explain why; it is completely unacceptable to go.

With any first online encounter, there is bound to be some level of insecurity. Being careful does not reduce the excitement of meeting a stranger.

 

Online Security Should Be a Priority

 

There are plenty of good things you could get out of your interactions with people you meet online, but only if you are cautious about it.

Take your time, confirm details where possible, don’t give away your money, only meet someone in public places if you decide to do so, let somebody know what you plan to do, and never ignore warning signs.

Above all, one must never forget that one has complete control over the speed at which this process happens.

One does not have to disclose any personal information or even see one’s cyber buddy in person at all.

What one needs to do is not to fear meeting people on the internet, but to do it carefully