She has other online dating safety tips; If you decide to meet someone in person that you’ve spoken with only online, always meet in a public place the first few times. Drive yourself. Let your friends and family know where you’re going, with whom and when you plan to return. Have a panic word in case you have a quick second to call them if you need help. And keep your phone online so you can be tracked through GPS if necessary.

That might sound a little extreme, but Balland-Reisch says it’s simply a prudent precaution. Just last month a Las Vegas woman sued Match after she said she was stabbed by a man she met on the dating site. We used to be able to rely on our support networks – our family and friends – to vet people for us. When we meet people online, we can’t do that anymore. Continue reading “Woman sues Match after being stabbed by her date”