New West police are encouraging folks to be safe when they’re setting up casual sexual encounters or dates with people they’ve met online.
In a Feb. 27 news release, the New Westminster Police Department provided some personal safety tips.
“There are risks involved in meeting up with online dates, both in terms of physical safety and getting robbed,” said Sgt. Andrew Leaver, the NWPD’s media relations officer. “We support you in taking precautions to protect yourself from scammers and ill-intentioned dates.”
In a statement to the Record, Leaver said the local police department has responded to calls for service where a suspect has lured a victim using an app.
“This year, we have had one investigation of this kind,” he said. “We don’t want to raise alarm; we simply want people to know there are some easy steps they can take to make meeting people safer.”
Here are some safety tips from the New Westminster Police Department:
- Consider meeting in a familiar, public place such as a café, restaurant, bar, or library.
- Create an exit plan in advance, so you know what to do if you ever feel unsafe.
- Make sure you’re in charge of your own transportation and have a plan to get home.
- Tell a trusted friend where you’re going and set up check-in times with each other. Take a profile screenshot of the person you’re meeting and share it with a trusted friend.
- Consider sharing your real-time location with a trusted friend through an app like Google Maps or Find My Friends.
- Verify the person by searching their social media profiles.
- If someone shows up unexpectedly with other people, be extremely cautious. Do not go to a private location with more than one person.
“The tips we shared this morning should be considered by anyone who is dating online,” Leaver said is a follow-up statement to the Record. “If you are dating online, we’d encourage you to also seek out the latest from the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre on romance scams.
In addition to these safety tips, the NWPD noted many apps have options for account verification, mechanisms for reporting suspicious accounts, and additional safety advice.
“If you have been victimized by someone you met online, know that the New Westminster Police Department and our Victim Assistance Unit is here to support you,” said the news release.
