Online, the basics
- Keep personal details off your profile. Full name, employer, gym, the street you live on, all of that can wait until you trust someone.
- Stay in our messages at first. No need to jump to texting on day one. You can block and report in a single tap.
- Know the red flags. Sob stories about money, sudden "emergencies", anyone who won't video call, pressure for photos before you have even met. If it feels off, it is off.
- Reverse image search if unsure. Drop their photo into Google Images. If it shows up on a dozen other profiles, you have your answer.
Before you meet
- Video call first. Five minutes on camera tells you more than three weeks of texting.
- Tell a mate. Share the time, the place and who you are meeting with someone you trust.
- Meet somewhere public. A busy bar or café, never a private home or a quiet car park on a first meet.
- Sort your own transport. Get yourself there and back, and keep control of when you leave.
On the night
- Mind your drink. Order it yourself, watch it poured, and never leave it unattended.
- Pace yourself. One or two is plenty. Stay sharp enough to make good calls.
- Trust your gut. If something feels off, leave. You owe nobody an explanation.
- Have an exit plan. A mate's call at nine, a ready excuse, a taxi on standby.