Online dating safety: how to spot scams and meet up safely

How can you check an online match is genuine?

Fake profiles are common on dating apps and social media. Before you invest time or meet up, take a few simple steps to check that a match is a real person who is who they claim to be.

• Suggest a short video call. Repeated excuses to avoid one are a warning sign.
• Use the app's photo verification badge if it has one.
• Do a reverse image search on profile photos to see if they appear under other names.
• Check that their story is consistent over time, such as their job, location and background.
• Keep conversations on the dating app at first, where reporting tools are available.

What are the red flags of a romance scam?

Romance scammers create convincing profiles and build an emotional connection, sometimes over weeks or months, before asking for money. They often claim to be working abroad, in the military or on an oil rig, which gives them a reason never to meet.

A growing version involves fake investment tips, where a match encourages you to put money into cryptocurrency or a trading app that they control. Anyone you have only met online who asks for money, in any form, should be treated as a likely scam.

• They express strong feelings very quickly and push to move to a private messaging app.
• They always have a reason not to video call or meet in person.
• They ask for money, gift cards, cryptocurrency or bank transfers, often for an emergency.
• They offer investment advice or tell you about a guaranteed way to make money.
• They ask you to keep the relationship secret from friends and family.

How do you protect your personal details?

Share personal information gradually, as trust builds. Avoid giving out your home address, workplace, full name, financial details or your daily routine early on. Consider using a separate email address for dating apps and turning off location sharing on photos.

Be careful with photos that reveal where you live or work, and never share passwords, verification codes or banking details with a match, however genuine they seem.

How can you stay safe on a first date?

Plan your first meeting somewhere busy and public, such as a cafe or restaurant, and avoid going to their home or inviting them to yours. Tell a friend who you are meeting, where and when, and agree a time to check in. Many phones and apps let you share your live location with someone you trust.

Arrange your own transport there and back so you can leave whenever you want. If you drink alcohol, keep it moderate, watch your drink being made, and do not leave it unattended. If you suddenly feel much more drunk than expected, ask staff or a friend for help straight away.

• Meet in a busy public place and stay there for the first date.
• Tell a friend your plans and check in with them during and after the date.
• Make your own way there and home.
• Keep your phone charged and with you.
• Trust your instincts: it is always fine to leave early.

What should you do if something goes wrong?

If you think you are talking to a scammer, stop contact, do not send money and report the profile on the app. If you have already sent money, contact your bank or payment provider immediately, as they may be able to stop or recover the payment, and report the fraud to the police or your national fraud reporting service.

If you were threatened, harassed or harmed on a date, you can report it to the app and the police. You are never to blame for someone else's behaviour.