Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Chatting on the Internet
• Method 2 of 3: Meeting in a Public Place
• Method 3 of 3: Getting Out of a Difficulty
• Tips
• Warnings

Online dating is a fairly common phenomenon that often brings pleasure to all its participants. However, the first time you meet someone you meet online can be risky. Whether you use social media or dating apps, keep yourself and your personal information safe from potential criminals. If you want to safely meet someone with whom you have struck up a conversation on the Internet, hold the first few meetings in a public place. Keep them short and always have a retreat plan in mind.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Chatting on the Internet

1. 1 Do not include personal information in your profile. If you want to protect yourself online, anonymity is what you need. You may not even use your real first and last name or include the place where you live or study. You don't want strangers on the Internet to know too much information about you.
   • Some dating apps require you to enter your real location in order to get the most out of the services offered. Whenever possible, specify your location in the widest range so that you have access to all the functions of the application. Be extremely careful with who you talk to.
   • On some social networks, such as Facebook, you can create groups for friends and limit the number of people who have access to information on your profile. For example, only those who attend the same institution can see your place of study, and this data will not be available to other people.
2. 2 Check your privacy settings. Every social network or dating app has privacy settings designed to protect you. These settings allow you to control who can see specific information about you or what you post.
   • If you don't understand how privacy settings work, ask a friend who understands this to help you and specify the options you want.
   • Many social networks have a feature that allows you to see your profile from the side of a stranger. This way, you can make sure that you did not disclose unnecessary information.
3. 3 Study the past of the people you meet. Once you've started communicating with someone on a regular basis, it's time to do a little research before meeting that person in real life. Even if you don't have a lot of information, there are still ways to help you spot the cheater.
   • Study his page carefully. If you have mutual friends, contact them and ask how well they know this person and if they have seen him in real life.
   • Copy his photos and search the images in the browser. This will tell you if these photos have appeared elsewhere on the web. If the person is trying to impersonate someone else, they may be intending to harm you.
   • See how long his page has been around, and pay attention to all of his comments and interactions with friends or followers. This is usually enough to understand if people are familiar in real life.
4. 4 Do not disclose personal information. As a general rule, you shouldn't tell someone too much about yourself until after you see each other. Get to know the person better before giving him your address, date of birth, or sharing your life story.
   • This may be the optimal solution. If the person is reliable, just like you, he too will not disclose personal information.This can make it difficult to study his past, but try to respect the fact that he, like you, is afraid of sharing confidential information.
5. 5 Do not hurry. When communicating on the Internet, you can very easily and quickly give out too much information about yourself, especially if you are constantly communicating with a person. Control your emotions and don't rush things.
   • You don't want the person to know too much about you until you meet them in person at least two or three times. Try to discuss common interests, such as music or movies, and don't talk too much about your life or your thoughts and feelings.
6. 6 Rely on your intuition. When we want to befriend someone, sometimes we ignore comments or behaviors that usually turn us off. Remember that this person is a stranger and don't trust him too much.
   • If the person says something you don't like, be clear about it. Be honest and don't let him think that you are comfortable with things that are unpleasant to you.
   • If you are embarrassed to directly state what you are not happy with, this in itself is a reason to doubt whether this person can become your friend.

Method 2 of 3: Meeting in a Public Place

1. 1 Choose a place that is convenient for you. You shouldn't make an appointment near your home if you don't want the person to know where you live. On the other hand, you shouldn't see someone for the first time in an unfamiliar part of the city.
   • Most often, people are most comfortable in those places where they have been several times, and this is especially true for meetings for the first time.
   • Ideally, you should choose a place that you don't go to too often. If something goes wrong, you will most likely be able to avoid meeting that person again.
   • In every possible way, try to schedule a meeting during the daytime. If you are both free only in the evening, choose a place that is usually crowded at the time when you intend to see.
2. 2 Talk before the meeting. Before meeting a person with whom you met on the Internet, make sure that they are who they say they are. The best way to do this is by talking on the phone or video chat.
   • If a person cannot contact you via video, ask him to take a selfie (a photo of himself), holding a sign with certain words in his hands. This will help you make sure that the photo is not taken from the internet or that the person is not cheating on you about who they are or what they look like.
   • If your friendship has gone so far that you want to meet in person, the person should have no problem with it. If he refuses or seeks an excuse, it can be a worrying sign.
3. 3 Come with a friend. If you are very worried about meeting, bring a friend with you or arrange a meeting with several friends. If a person wants to get to know you without malicious intent, he will not be put off by your desire to hold the first meeting in the company.
   • This is especially true for meetings far from home or in an unfamiliar part of the city. Take someone who knows the area with you.
4. 4 Don't drink alcohol when you first meet. It is quite common for adults to meet people in local bars or pubs. The problem is that alcohol slows down your reaction and causes you to lose control of yourself.
   • If you do decide to drink, order one drink with a low alcohol content, such as a weak beer. Order a glass of water with your beer, and drink slowly, alternating between beer and water.
5. 5 Ask a lot of questions. The point of meeting in person is to get to know each other better. Since a person can be more constrained in life than on the Internet, be prepared to ask questions to help him relax.
   • Make references to online conversations so you both can feel more comfortable. This way you can connect the person in front of you with previous conversations.
   • For example, you might say, “I remember you said that Radiohead was your favorite band. Heard that they will have a concert here in a few months? ”
6. 6 The first meeting should be short. For the first meeting, choose a place to sit and talk for half an hour or so (but not more). This way, if the person is not interesting to you, you do not have to spend too much time with him.
   • A short meeting will give both of you the opportunity to look at each other and see if there is a connection between you in the real world like on the Internet.
   • Make an appointment with a friend so that you have a reason to leave if the person wants to convince you to go somewhere else. Remember that a dishonest person may try to lure you into a more secluded or deserted place.
7. 7 Keep your personal belongings with you. If you need to leave for any reason, such as going to the bathroom, do not leave your bag or mobile phone unattended with the person. Treat him like a stranger and don't give him access to personal information.
8. 8 Schedule a new meeting. If your first meeting went well, instead of continuing with it, it's best to schedule a new one. This way you will not rush things and stay in control of the situation.
   • Suppose the first meeting lasted 20 or 30 minutes, which means that next time you can spend the same amount of time together or a little more. You can arrange to have lunch or do something else together.

Method 3 of 3: Getting Out of a Difficulty

1. 1 Trust your intuition. Even if everything is going well and outwardly the person seems nice, you may not leave the feeling that something is wrong. Don't ignore this feeling. If you don't feel safe, leave as soon as possible.
   • You don't owe anyone anything. If you feel like you need to leave, just leave, especially if you think your safety is at stake. Go to the toilet, call a friend nearby and ask for help.
   • You can also talk to a worker in your location. Explain the situation to him and he may be able to help you.
2. 2 Consider a retreat plan. Before the meeting, consider several options for how to quickly get out of the situation if something goes wrong. Your vehicle should play an important role in this.
   • If you have your own car, it is best to drive to the meeting and park as close as possible. Do not go where you could potentially be blocked from reaching your vehicle.
   • If you don't have a car, or if you rely on public transportation, consider several options.
3. 3 Make an appointment with a friend to write or call. Always notify a few people exactly where you are going and when. Ask a friend to check on you during the meeting so you can let him know if something goes wrong.
   • Keep your phone with you with the sound or vibration on at all times so as not to miss a call or message from a friend.
   • You can also ask a friend to walk by by simulating a chance encounter. Only do this if you and your friend can behave naturally.
4. 4 Report threatening or dangerous behavior. If the meeting really turned out to be something bad, and the person turned out to be the one who poses a danger, write a statement to the police, and also report it on social networks or the dating application where you met.
   • If you report this on a website or app, the person's profile may be blocked.
   • You can also block him so that he does not see your profile and can not contact you again.

Tips

• Before the first meeting, it will be helpful to use a video calling program such as Skype. This will ensure that the person has entered the correct information in their profile.

Warnings

• If you're under 18, you might be better off not dating someone you meet online. Be sure to tell your parents or another trusted adult that you have decided to date someone online.