Dating Safely

Recently there has been a huge amount of publicity in the press and on TV, with regards to how dangerous online dating has become. The high profile Match.com rape case and the startling numbers of online dating related crime statistics released in February 2016 by the National Crime Agency, shows the importance of safety. Our industry body the Dating Agency Association have asked its members companies to clearly display information on keeping safe on their websites.

At The Professional Matchmaker we put member safety and security as our highest priority. We ensure that all new members are personally interviewed, carefully vetted and have to produce photographic evidence to verify themselves and also prove their home address details are correct. All information on our members is also carefully stored away from a public website, to ensure that there is never any sort of profile, photographs or personal information online that could be accidentally accessed by friends, relations or work colleagues etc.

Throughout your membership you would also be working on a one on one basis with one of our experienced Personal Matchmakers to ensure that your involvement with us is as enjoyable and successful as possible. Here are our recommendations to members and non-members about keeping safe:

1. Trust your instincts as they are often accurate. If something is telling you ‘this doesn’t feel right’ or ‘this doesn’t ring true’ that is because it probably isn’t.
2. Don’t ever reveal personal details about yourself prior to a first date, the person you’re meeting simply wouldn’t expect it.
3. Don’t invite someone to your home on a first date and subsequently unless you know them very well and are comfortable that they are trustworthy, both on the date and afterwards. They will now know where you live and a considerable amount of information about you.
4. Ideally meet somewhere for a coffee first and at a mutually convenient neutral venue that is public. Also park in a public place too if travelling by car.
5. Be careful with alcohol when meeting someone for the first time, keep your wits about you too.
6. Think about the way you dress, it is important and also nothing too revealing or provocative if you are female, it can create the wrong impression if you get it wrong.
7. Internet fraud is burgeoning in the UK and now stands at a staggering £100,000,000 per annum. An unbelievable figure but one that is totally accurate, according to the UK’s National Crime Agency and the BBC’s Crimewatch programme. So if you have contact from someone on an online site and they ask you for money, be wary immediately and never fall for their sob stories, no matter how convincing and plausible they sound. Quite simply – they aren’t true, so keep your hand on your purse or wallet.
8. Be very aware of serial daters, as online sites are full of them. A huge number of people (and yes women as well as men) are only online for casual relationships or just sex contacts. If you’re looking for a genuine relationship be cautious as serial daters are not for you.

And remember joining a proper, traditional agency like The Professional Matchmaker, where people have been carefully checked out and vetted is likely to be the very best protection of all. Online Dating sites generally do not do any sort of background checks and if you have something that happens that makes you uneasy – report it to us immediately.