Online dating safety: a practical guide

Online dating is mostly about meeting ordinary people. A few simple habits make it safer, online and when you meet. This site is for adults only (18+).

Protect your personal information

  • Keep your profile general. No full name, phone number, address, workplace or messaging IDs.
  • Watch your photos. Street signs, your building, your car's number plate or your work badge can tell a stranger more than you intend.
  • Share contact details later, once you've talked for a while and feel comfortable.
  • Never share passwords, ID documents or bank details. Nobody you're dating needs them.

While you're messaging

  • Stay on the site at first. Here you can block and report a profile. On another app, you lose that.
  • Take your time. Be careful with anyone who rushes you, whether to move apps, meet, send photos or share feelings.
  • Video call before meeting. It confirms the person is who they say they are.
  • Never send money to someone you've only met online. See romance scam warning signs.

Intimate photos and video calls

Intimate images can be saved and shared, and video calls can be recorded without your knowledge. Some people use this to threaten and demand money (sextortion).

  • Don't send intimate photos to someone you haven't met and don't trust.
  • Keep video calls with new people non-intimate, and be wary of anyone who pushes otherwise.
  • Don't send intimate images of anyone else. Never send any images that weren't asked for.
  • If someone threatens to share images of you: don't pay, keep screenshots, report and block them, and contact the police.

Meeting for the first time

  1. Meet in a busy public place. A café, a restaurant, a market. Not their home or yours.
  2. Get there and back on your own. Use your own transport or a taxi you book yourself. Don't accept a ride from your date the first time.
  3. Tell a friend. Who you're meeting, where, and when you expect to be done. Share your location if you like.
  4. Keep your phone charged.
  5. Watch your drink. Don't leave it alone, and don't drink more than you're comfortable with.
  6. Keep it short. A coffee or a walk is enough. You can always meet again.
  7. Leave if something feels wrong. You don't need a reason or an excuse.

Ideas for public, low-pressure meetings are in first date ideas in a big city.

Using block and report

  • Block anyone you don't want contact with. Neither of you will see the other in matches or messages, and they can't message you.
  • Report profiles that are fake, spam, send people to other apps, harass, or look like they belong to someone under 18. Reports are saved with the profile.

Details: how to block or report someone.

If someone blocks you or disappears

People stop replying for many reasons, and sometimes they block. If someone has blocked you, their profile shows as not available and you can't message them. Respect it. Don't look for them on other apps, contact their friends or create another account to reach them. That can quickly become harassment.

If you've met someone and they disappear, it's disappointing but usually not about safety. If they disappeared after asking for money or photos, treat it as a warning and report the profile.

Under 18

This site is for adults (18+). If you believe a profile belongs to someone under 18, report it with the reason "Under 18" and don't continue the conversation.

In an emergency

If you're in danger, being threatened, or someone won't leave you alone in person, contact your local emergency services or police immediately. Go to a busy place or ask staff at a café or shop for help. The dating site can't help in an emergency.

If you're dating in a foreign country

Find out the local emergency number before you need it, and keep the address of where you're staying written down. More in dating in a foreign country.

FAQ

Is it rude to ask for a video call before meeting?

No. It's common and sensible. Someone who refuses every time is a reason to be careful.

Can I delete my account if I want to stop?

Yes, at any time from your account page. See how to delete your dating account.

Should I tell my date I've told a friend where I am?

You can. A respectful person will understand.

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