OVER the past few weeks, South African TikTok has seen a number of people share stories of how they were robbed or scammed on their first dates. These stories include incidents where people say they were taken to unknown places and robbed of their belongings. Some say they were held up with weapons and forced to withdraw cash from their accounts.
Also read: 5 tips for planning a holiday with extended family
This trend took social media by storm as more people joined in, and it also raised safety concerns around dating.
Caxton Local Media journalist Nonhlanhla Hlatshwayo followed the trend, and from the content, she came up with tips on how people can date safely. These tips are what the storytellers on TikTok could have avoided or noted as red flags.
Here are five tips on how you can date safely:
1. Do your research
If dating online, take the time to trace your date before agreeing to meet up with them. It is so easy for people to hide behind fake dating app profiles. One way you can try to verify them is to search for them on other social media apps like Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin. These apps can give an idea of your potential date: what they post, the consistency of their posts and whether they are using the same or similar name across all social media platforms. If you don’t have their full name, you can do a reverse-image search to find their photo on other sites. You can use TinEye or Google has a reverse-image search engine.
Also read: Safer Internet Day: Tips to stay safe and secure online
2. Meet in a public space
Meeting someone at their place for the first time has danger written all over it for many reasons. It leaves you at the risk of being kidnapped, robbed or attacked. When you are in a public space like a restaurant, it would be easier to signal for help if you feel unsafe.
3. Don’t allow pick-ups
Do not agree to get in the car with your date. Being in the car also puts you at risk of being kidnapped, robbed or attacked. Make your own arrangements for transportation to get to the place where you’ll meet with your date and to return home again.
4. Share your whereabouts
Tell a friend or family member where you going and with whom. The best way of doing this is sharing your date’s name, surname and contact details. In that way, your friends and family would have the first contact should anything happen to you. You could also ‘live share’ your location on WhatsApp or use the app, Life360, to share your location at all times with family members.
Also read: 6 tips to avoid falling victim to impersonators
Set out your boundaries/expectations
People date for different reasons – some are looking for love and some are just mingling. Setting your intentions straight from the start will help you set the tone of the conversation or interactions, avoiding unnecessary disagreements on the date.
For more from Berea Mail, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.
