Dating during Lockdown – How to stay safe
*This is a collaborative post
For many, this extended period of social isolation, has been really really hard, both physically and emotionally. Even for those who are used to, and comfortable living alone, being cut off from friends and family, being unable to go out to bars and restaurants, and having your social life grind to an immediate halt, has been hard to stomach. Whilst we all appreciate just how important it is to stay home and for people to stay safe, the lockdown period has been extra challenging for those without a partner. Over the last few weeks there has been a growing trend of singletons turning to social media and online dating as a way to stay connected, meet and chat to people online, helping them feel less alone or cut off from the rest of the world.
It’s important to remember however, that whilst these are unprecedented times, we must still behave sensibly and safely online and ensure we protect ourselves from unscrupulous activity and scams. In the same way we protect our children online from predators and those who may take advantage of online channels like Zoom and Houseparty, we need to protect ourselves when taking part in any dating activities online.
Here are my hints for staying safe when online dating:
1. Use reputable dating sites
This may go without saying, but think carefully about the dating sites that you use. Look for a uk free dating site and research the kind of dating activity you are signing up for and how they work, particularly in relation to how potential matches are identified and whether they are for fun, friendship or long term relationships. Focusing on reputable dating sites is the way forward. You should also look out for sites like match me happy have a solid infrastructure and use AI technology to help keep their members safe.
2. Protect your privacy
To protect your privacy, make the most of dating site’s chat features, which allow you to get to know your potential partner without giving out personal phone numbers or what’sapp messenger details. Whilst you may feel you are bonding really well with the person behind the screen, be careful not to share any personal information like your date of birth, home address or occupation in detail and avoid giving your full name.
It is recommended that you chose a different image for your dating profile than you have on your social media channels, as you can actually do reverse image searches on google, meaning that anyone who can see your dating image, can very quickly learn more about you via your other online presence. Before you know it they know your full name, home town, a list of your friends and potentially where you hang out (usually at least!) on a Friday night. Approach with caution and protect yourself.
Use an anonymous username – for example KatieRowe1979 is probably not a good idea.
3. If it sounds too good to be true or suspicious, it most likely is.
Be suspicious if anyone declares their undying love to you too quickly, and try to avoid being cat fished – scammers may build up a good rapport with you and present themselves as the perfect date in order to lure you in, before asking you to pay for medical equipment or supplies (claiming to be doctor requiring PPE for example!) pay for surgery or even for visas or to help pay off debts. Whilst you may read this and think it may never happen to you, sadly some people do get tricked in this way. Never provide any financial information to a potential date. If you feel that someone is attempting to scam you – report it and block all communication.
Its also worth mentioning if you have family and friends who are lonely and vulnerable, make them aware of the risks too and encourage them to talk to a trusted friend if something doesn’t feel right.
4. When to meet?
When the lockdown is lifted you may be super keen to meet your date that you’ve got to know quite well over the previous weeks. Before you do so, why not arrange a brief video chat, so you can ‘meet’ the person on screen beforehand. This is a great way of checking that the person is who they say they are, and that those profile pics that caught your attention weren’t of someone completely different (or taken 20 years previous!). If and when you feel comfortable to do so, arrange a time to meet in a public place, making sure that someone knows where you are going to be at all times.
If you take account of some of these basic steps to keep you safe online, you will hopefully find online dating to be a fun and helpful experience during this extended period of unknown.
Have fun and enjoy it!
Lucy xxx
