Dating safety tips

1. BalticDate will never reveal your personal details (email and password) to other members. This data is hidden and protected by the website's secure infrastructure.

THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN DATING ONLINE:

1. Do not give out personal contact details immediately. Do not post personal contact details in your profile or in the first messages you send to another member.
2. We highly recommend to communicate with other members via BalticDate messaging system in the beginning of new acquaintance. Take your time to learn more about each person and to feel comfortable about communicating with him/her. It is for you to decide if and when you want to take things further - for instance by giving your full name, your personal email address or mobile phone number.
3. If you want to talk to another member on the phone, remember that a mobile phone number gives you more flexibility and anonymity. It's also easier to change a mobile number than a fixed line number (in case you need it).
4. If anything makes you feel uncomfortable about another member, stop contacting them. You can block their profile, which means they will be unable to contact you via the website. If you feel someone is abusing the service, tell us immediately by clicking on the link “Report User” from user’s profile.

YOU HAVE DECIDED TO MEET ANOTHER MEMBER:

We sincerely hope that you reach the point of deciding to meet other BalticDate members face to face, but at all times the choice is clearly yours.
When meeting another member, we recommend you bear the following things in mind.

1. Meet 'on neutral ground' in a busy public place that you know well.
2. Don't arrange for the other member to pick you up from your home.
3. Don't let the other member make arrangements for your travel or for any hotel accommodation.
4. Keep a trustworthy friend or relative informed and on call.
4.1. Let this friend or relative know where you are going and what time you are expected home.
4.2. Supply your friend/relative with details of the person you are going to meet.
4.3. At a suitable point, call your friend/relative to let them know that things are OK.
5. Consider going on a double date with a friend/friends, or going out with a group. The group can include people you know and people your date knows.
6. You will probably feel that you know someone through email and phone contact, but remember that they are still a stranger when you first meet face to face.
7. Don't accept a lift home if you feel uncomfortable about it.
8. Always have a contingency plan in place. If something unexpected happens, make sure you can leave quickly and easily and that there are people close by who can help you if necessary.
9.Take a mobile phone with you. Make sure the phone is fully charged and working. You can leave the phone on during the date if you wish.
10. It can take time to get to know someone properly. If a person is truly interested in you, they won't mind if you want to take your time to develop a relationship.

PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM FRAUD AND SCAMS

Like you, the vast majority of BalticDate members are genuine people who have joined the service to find a serious relationship. But on the Internet, as in any other area of life, there is the rare dishonest individual who finds a way past security measures and who will use deception to obtain money or valuable personal details. These people are known as scammers.

Scammers - the most usual signs

Messages that do not address your questions but rather seem to go down a structured path of pre-meditated content conveying an ever increasing attraction to you;

Fraudsters use the identities of US Generals or US business men. Common male professions are army generals / colonel, civil engineer in the oil / gold industry or jewellery designer. Common female professions are nurses and fashion designer, but mostly the female fraudster does not make a direct reference to her profession;

Sob stories' - ill relatives; recently widowed; they've been robbed; they have no money for flights or for furthering education; they cannot cash a cheque or money order;

Asking you to deposit money on their behalf;

Poor grammar and spelling in emails;

No spaces between the end of one sentence and the beginning of the next (blocks of text);

Try to get you onto an instant messenger service quickly, ask to write you directly to their email;

Use pet names for you early on;

Say they love you from the very beginning of the conversation;

Never send money to anyone you have encountered on the Internet, but have not met personally. If you think the person looks suspicious inform website administration about that by clicking on the link “Report User” from user's profile.