Lavalife wants you to have fun online and offline. Some common-sense tips can help keep you safe:
- Never give out your home phone number as an initial means of contact. Use an e-mail address or cell phone if you can.
- If you're planning on meeting someone, tell at least two people where you're going, the person's name, their general description, and your expected time home.
- Always meet someone in a neutral location. Never have them come to your home or place of work to pick you up.
- Always meet someone in a public place, such as a restaurant, or a movie theatre.
- Always be aware of the personal information you're revealing to a date.
- If you meet someone for a date, carry a cell phone with you and make arrangements with a friend to be available for you to call should there be a problem.
- Use common sense. If you get a bad "vibe" maybe it's time to end the date.
Your common sense is your best protection!
Avoid Scammers
Lavalife works diligently to ensure our site is free of people misusing the site. We have many security measures in place and constantly update and modify these measures. However, no system is 100% foolproof, so the best way to avoid a scammer is to educate yourself on what a scammer might say or do. If you believe you're chatting with a scammer on the site, contact us immediately so we may investigate further. If you believe you've met someone off of the site that might be doing something illegal, please contact the local authorities. Here are some telltale signs you can look for that might indicate you're speaking with a scammer:
- The person mentions being "trapped" in a foreign country and requires your help purchasing plane tickets or sending money.
- The person asks to borrow money for other reasons - even if it's just a small amount. Never, ever loan or give money to someone you've just met, regardless of their story or circumstances!
- They seem to be quite vague about themselves—what they do for a living, their interests, etc.
- They appear to fall in love with you within a couple of weeks. Always believe in love at first sight, but be cautious too if they want you to show your love by having you to buy them a plane ticket or bus ticket to meet you.
- They just seem too good to be true. Use your common sense.