Ok, so you’ve now arranged to meet that fun someone, here’s ten tips on how to make sure you stay safe:
1. Why not try and organise a double date? You could even arrange to meet up as a group of friends instead.
2. Always arrange to meet in a busy public place - daytime is best.
3. Tell at least one of your friends what you’re doing, where you’re going, what time you’re meeting and who you are meeting. Text your friend when you meet up and let them know that you arrived there safe. You should then either call or text them when you return home.
4. Make sure you have spoken to who you are meeting on their mobile before you meet up, then give your friend the number and name of who you are meeting. That way, if you can’t be reached on your mobile, as a last resort, your friend can always contact them or pass the details on to someone who can help in an emergency.
5. Make your own way there and back. Even better, get a lift with a friend, don’t let your date collect or drop you off. Don’t give away where you live on the first date, you don’t want to come home to a rabbit on your stove do you!!
6. Make sure you take your mobile with you. It needs to have enough credit on it and be fully charged.
7. If the date’s not going as well as you hoped, make sure you have a get away plan! Escaping through the bathroom window is not that easy, so plan your excuse in advance!
8. You should never leave your personal belongings or drink unattended, but you already know that one don’t you.
9. Follow your instinct, you’ll know yourself if something doesn’t feel right.
10. If you do get lucky, always make sure you use a condom. We don’t want any Faces in Places babies now do we! Seriously, condoms are a must, for various reasons, and you shouldn’t consider having sex without one
1. Keep your identity safe. You should never reveal your real name, address or telephone number until you are entirely comfortable to do so.
2. Always use the Faces in Places Private Messaging Service. We never give out your real e-mail address or any other private information about you, so take full advantage of this service.
3. Honesty is the best policy. The truth will always catch up with up with you in the end! You will only have to back up false claims should you meet up with this person
4. Get to know them first. Before arranging to meet a random stranger find out what their likes and dislikes are first. You might find that you have absolutely nothing in common with them
5. Smells fishy? Don’t continue chatting to anyone who appears to be inconsistent with their information, is avoiding your direct questions or ignoring your requests.
6. Block them. You can block any member at anytime. This is an important tool to have, so make sure you use it.
7. Financial Information. Faces in Places is purely a social networking site not a bank. You should therefore never give out any of your personal finance details whilst using our site.
8. Trust Issues. Be careful who you trust, you wouldn’t tell someone you just starting talking to where you live now would you.
9. Withhold your number. If you call someone from the site, you should consider withholding your number, from landlines you would begin with entering 1470 and then enter the remainder of the number
10. Be smart – never tell anyone personal, private stuff till you trust them, as hard as we try there are some sickos, pervs and criminals out there – look after yourself always
© Faces in Places 2008