Tips to Stay Safe When Meeting Someone Online

Most people in today’s world tend to use online platforms for their communication. After the online conversations, we come across the need to meet them in person as well. From recent studies, it has been found that a lot of individuals who meet have encountered a negative experience or even a scam. Some of them are even risking their lives for these meetups. That’s why you should know how to be safe when you are meeting someone online.

Online dating is one of the biggest reasons why people in today’s world tend to meet someone online. Therefore, we will use that as an example of how to ensure your safety. You will be able to go ahead and apply these tips for all the other situations, which you can follow to ensure your safety, without compromising it. Most people believe that dating is fun. Yes, it can be fun, if you know how to play the game while staying within the safe zone. If you go out of the safe zone, there is a high possibility for you to end up with a distasteful experience. The following 10 safety tips should be kept in mind if you are meeting online, so keep these in mind before you go out on your new adventure.

1. Don’t give out your number too early

It would be tempting to give away your number at the earliest possible opportunity, but you should think twice before giving your private information. If you give your phone number to a tech-savvy individual, that person can gain access to all your personal and sensitive information in a blink of an eye. Moreover, you need to be careful about your other personal details as well. Giving your email address can also create similar situations. Therefore, you should be careful not to expose something that can reveal personal and sensitive information about you.

2. Use a temporary mobile number when signing up

When you are signing up to online websites to meet people, you will be asked to provide your mobile number. In such instances, you should be careful to use a temporary mobile number to avoid leaving a digital footprint. You never know how they will use your mobile number. In some instances, your mobile number may be accidentally displayed on your public profile, and you might not be aware of it. You can end up receiving nasty texts, or even dirty photos. Using a temporary mobile number is the best option available for you to avoid such instances. If you want to get such a temporary mobile number with minimum hassle, Google Hangouts and GrooveIP offer free VOIP phone numbers.

3. Choose public places

You should use your mind and common sense to find an appropriate dating venue. It would be a good idea to go ahead with a public venue such as a restaurant, mall, or downtown area for your first meetup. Other locations may sound tempting, but you need to give priority towards your safety. If possible, you can think about going on a group date. It would be fun to have a friend watch out for awkward situations, and the more, the merrier.

4. Travel on your own

You should not always rely on someone else when you are traveling to a new location. The person whom you are meeting might invite you to go to an isolated place. You are not encouraged to accept that invitation. If you do, you would be risking your safety.

5. Don’t leave food unattended

If you are meeting at a restaurant, your food will be delivered to the table. After your food or beverages are served, you should be careful if you leave the table. If you want to go to the washroom, you should do it before the food arrives or you can wait a bit until you finish your meals. Then you can make sure that the person you date doesn’t add anything to what you consume. If that person can add substances to your food, you may face a variety of negative consequences in the long run.

6. Try to meet with people nearby

You are aware of the people in your area up to a certain extent. Hence, you can think about meeting people nearby in your community. A large number of apps, such as Outist will assist you with that. Since your search is local, there is a high possibility for you to meet someone you know as well.

7. Don’t drink too much alcohol

Who knows what would happen to you if you drink too much alcohol. Therefore, you are encouraged not to drink too much. If possible, you should refrain from more than one delicious cocktail. Drinking can be fun, but it’s better if you’re around people you trust. You can still enjoy your date, but be mindful of what is going on around you.

8. Do your own research

You can search the internet for the person that you are meeting to see whether they are a real person or not. If you cannot find anything related to their personal life, there’s something fishy, and you should be aware of it. Social media is a popular place to start.

9. Lying isn’t the best idea

Trusting someone you don’t know is hard, and it may even be safer to assume that your date is inflating their ego to impress you. It is a common dating technique, but it may be a terrible shame if you both end up talking about something that isn’t a reality. If you are misrepresenting yourself, you are increasing the possibility of having the other person lie as well. This is not the best way to approach to meeting someone and gaining their trust.

10. Always ensure your protection

Self-defense or pepper spray can help keep you safe. You can purchase pepper spray from your local convenience or drug store. Should the need arise, don’t hesitate to take out the pepper spray and use it! Your personal safety always comes first.

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