IFM 'Be Safe' Advice

Remember meeting someone for the first time through IFM is no more or less safe than meeting people for the first time through any other means. As long as you take sensible safety precautions there should be no problem. Below is a list of tips which will help you stay safe.

Don't accept lifts from anyone you are meeting for the first time whether you have learned of that person through IFM or not.

Meet somewhere in public where there will be plenty of other people about. Don't leave yourself too far to walk back to your car, bus stop or tube station at the end of the meeting.

Don't agree to meeting alone anywhere until you have met the other person many times and even then only if you feel absolutely sure it is safe to do so.

If you are not sure about going on a date alone bring a friend along. If you find the first meeting satisfactory you can always go on a one to one date another time.

If you do go on a one to one date (even if you have met the other person a number of times) always leave a friend or relative details of the person you are meeting, say a copy of the profile, telephone number, e-mail and home address. Let them know where you are meeting and when you intend to return. Arrange to phone them at a particular time to let them know if you are OK. Make sure you have a note of their phone number and that you have a fully operational mobile phone on you.

If you feel particularly uneasy with the other person have a good excuse ready for having to curtail the meeting. A pre arranged phone call from a friend early on in the evening could give you a good excuse to end the meeting if you wish to do so.

Don't allow the other person to rush you into decisions about meeting again if you are really not sure.

If you know you don't want to meet the other person again and don't know how to say it to them in person you can always say you will not be available to meet again soon and then send them a polite 'thanks but no thanks' e-mail if they contact you again.

As with meeting anyone for the first time through any source, always exercise caution and do not assume that everything the other person says about themselves is necessarily true.