How To Date Safely and Respectfully

Safety is extremely important when it comes to dating, whether you’re getting to know someone online or meeting that someone in-person for the first time. Your protection and well-being is paramount to WhatsYourPrice, which is why we feel it is our social responsibility to be the leaders in safety and security in online dating.

As part of our approach, our support team continuously works to educate the community on safety measures when communicating online. This includes advice on potential scams, how to avoid commercial solicitations and ultimately, how to safely meet for the first time in real life. 

Always keep your personal safety in mind, and follow these simple guidelines to reduce your risk of harm when meeting your match, online and in person.

What you should expect to see on WhatsYourPrice:

• We constantly compile  Safe Dating Tips to keep yourself safe before, during and after your date.  Additionally, we write about current safety topics and features in our blog and will share quick tips in emails because you can never have too much information when it comes to your personal safety.
• Data protection is imperative when you are meeting prospective relationships online. WhatsYourPrice’s advanced site security  includes SSL certification, web application firewalls (WAF), advanced threat and bot detection software and third-party cyber security audits. 
• There are notices throughout the platform warning members to never give bank or other financial information. If you suspect you are a victim of fraudulent behavior, please report it immediately to both WhatsYourPrice and local authorities. We work to support victims to recover assets when possible.
• We encourage our users to report any suspicious behavior so we can investigate immediately. Our team has spent countless hours working to build and improve systems to balance quality, user privacy, and ethical behavior.

How We Use Technology To Help Protect You

Our commitment to keep our members safe will never be compromised and we are constantly rolling out all new and enhanced safety features, including:

• We utilize user reports to tie systems together to identify potential repeat scammers to keep them off our site.
• We offer ID Verification to all members! Identity verification is the new standard of online dating. Using your driver’s license or other approved form of ID, this simple authentication process certifies your identity to boost the safety of our platform and offer you and your potential dates peace of mind. Once our third-party verification partner confirms your identity, you receive a badge that is added to your profile. This icon lets other members know that you are who you say you are and inspires confidence among online daters. 
• We leverage artificial intelligence (AI) at multiple touch points during our members’ journey to minimize the risks to their safety.
• We work with multiple third  parties to specifically identify, target, and block scam accounts.
• We use human-in-the-loop (HITL), which includes both humans and AI, to fight potential fraudulent behaviors, including scams.

Making A Safe Profile

• Limit The Details You Share – Your personal details, including your home address, place of work, and favorite local hang-outs should remain a mystery. All personal financial information should remain private and never shared.
• Original Photos – Use different photos for your dating profile than your social profiles. It’s easy to do a reverse image search with Google. If your dating profile has a photo that also shows up on your Instagram or Facebook account, it will be easy for someone to find you on social media. Also, avoid using photos that make places that you and your friends frequent too obvious. Remember, not all first meet-ups are a perfect match, and privacy is key to moving on. 
• Verified For Comfort –  ID verification is the quickest and easiest way to ensure  the person you’re chatting up is exactly who they say they are.  Verify your account and don’t hesitate to ask your potential date to get their profile verified too. Your personal information is never shared with one another but verification will give you the extra confidence to go out & meet in person. Still in doubt? A quick phone call or video chat is an additional, simple way to verify your date is who they say they are before you meet in person. Making sure that both you and your potential match are verified is a great way to filter out potential doubts. 

Are You Ready To Date Safely?

Your personal safety is WhatsYourPrice’s primary focus. It should be yours as well. As we continue to expand and enhance our safety features, we also want to help you feel more secure and confident when planning an in-person date. Here a are a few things that you can do in preparation for your first in-person meeting:

• Personal Research Is Not Creeping  – Doing a little background research on a date prior to your meet-up is both a very common and a very smart move. Checking social accounts to make sure that your potential match is honest in who they say they are, is a great way to filter out any potential doubts.
• Always Meet in a Public Place – As you’re planning your first in-person date, remember to always meet in a public place. Should you feel any pressure to meet in a private location, stress the importance of wanting to meet in public for the first couple dates. If they continue to push the subject, re-evaluate meeting in person and/or end the conversation entirely.
• Tell Someone About Your Plans – One of the most crucial steps is to let a trusted friend or family member know the details of your date: where you’re meeting, what time, the number to the establishment, etc. There are never too many details to share when it comes to your safety. Turn on and use the locations feature on your phone to easily allow you to share your location with a friend.
• Keep Private Details Private, For Now – It’s always exciting getting to know someone new and sharing personal details about yourself and your immediate circle seems natural. On those first initial dates, keep private details private. This can include (but is not limited to) your last name, address, social handles and frequent spots you hang out until you’ve both built up enough trust.
• Always Keep an Eye on Your Food and Drinks – Never leave your food and/or drinks unattended. Should you have to step away from the table, place a napkin over your plate. And never feel bad about requesting a new drink if you suspect any suspicious behavior(s) from anyone at your table. 
• Ensure Your Cell Phone is Fully Charged and Locations are On – Before, during and after your date, you want to make sure you have enough battery life to contact anyone for any reason. This includes having your location settings on to ensure a trusted family member or friend can track your location. If you find yourself always on the move before a date, consider investing in a rechargeable cell phone case to always be prepared. 
• Report All Suspicious and Offensive Behaviors – If you’ve ever felt uncomfortable or disrespected while interacting with someone while on a dating site or when you meet in person, be sure to report them through the proper channels within the respective app where you first connected. At WhatsYourPrice, members can ‘Report a Member’ from the user’s profile. Pick the appropriate reason from the list and provide a clear description of the violation. Additionally, you may also block the member which will prevent them from communicating with you and from seeing your profile. Customer Support is also available 24/7 and you can contact them here with any questions or concerns.

Dating Honestly And With Respect

Life is too short to settle. That’s why we want our members to find those relationships that align most with their personal goals and dreams. Honesty and open communication have always been our core principles.

Dating Safely and Comfortably

Remember, your date is most likely as nervous as you are to meet in person for the first time. Be sure you’ve discussed any health or safety concerns before meeting up with your date. The pandemic may be easing restrictions in some areas, but there are many people who’d prefer to stick to the outdoors or continue with masked dates for now.

Also, be sure to include a more social, public get together option that doesn’t involve alcohol, like a trip to a local park, a museum or roller skating rink. That way, you and your date won’t feel pressured to drink if you don’t want to.

If you’re drinking, keep an eye on your drink. If you have to leave it for any length of time, you can always order a fresh one.

During The First Date

Approach each date as an opportunity to get to know someone better rather than going in with any expectations that your meet-up should progress further. Be kind, embrace a positive attitude, and aim to have fun. This will help put you and your date at ease.

You are in full control of how things progress. If you don’t feel comfortable, it’s most important to put yourself first. Always feel free to politely leave the date. Neither of you owes each other anything, regardless of who pays for some or all of the date.

If necessary, enlist the help of a waiter, bartender, or other employee to help get you out of an uncomfortable situation. If you feel it’s more serious, have them help you organize a way to get home and alert their management and possibly law enforcement authorities.

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