Internet dating websites are becoming a very popular way for people to meet others for friendship, romantic relationships or something more casual. However, as with any real world venues such as pubs, clubs and parties, you need to be aware of your own personal safety and do everything you can to ensure your experiences with online dating are positive.

The team at RedHotPie want to help you make your journey into online dating as comfortable and safe as possible. As long as you take necessary precautions, meeting people via our website should be a safe and enjoyable experience for yourself and those you interact with. We’ve listed a number of points to keep in mind before you start meeting people:

1. Always protect your privacy.
   When using a dating site, do not ever give out personal information such as where you work, where you live, or even the email address you use most often. A good tip is to create an email account via Hotmail or Gmail specifically for online dating. This way, if you don't want further contact with someone they can’t contact you through your regular channels of communication. It’s also a good idea to not use email addresses or usernames that may positively identify you in some way (ie - don’t use your actual name or year of birth such as janinehayes78@hotmail.com or JaneCinManly). Do not let someone pressure you into revealing any information you are not comfortable giving out. If you do not feel comfortable with a person’s line of questioning, cease contact or block them immediately.
   
   
2. Use RedHotPie’s messaging system where possible.
   RedHotPie provides you with an anonymous messaging system whereby you can conduct lengthy conversations with potential matches without having to disclose any personal contact details. You can share photos and video intros via our messaging system, and even go on webcam chat to check each other out through instant chat or the webcam chat room (if user is eligible). All this preliminary interaction can be achieved on RHP without divulging your phone number or email address. Our App (rhpmobile.com) for mobile devices further helps you to stay in touch with RHP users while on the go. Until you have chatted or messaged another RHP user for some time, we do not recommend sharing personal contact details. Consider turning your Caller ID off if you agree to call another person on their number.
   
   
3. Be careful when first meeting someone
   Under no circumstances should you meet people at their house or give out your address. If you are lining up a social date, ensure that you have chosen a safe, public venue to meet such as a cafe or well frequented bar. Even if you are only looking for a sexual encounter, you should meet at a public venue first and if comfortable, a hotel is the best place to get hot and heavy. It’s also ideal to take along a friend to a date to ensure you are extra safe. If you are not comfortable at any time then do not hesitate in leaving. If you are having an enjoyable time though, just keep your mobile handy and get a friend to call now and again to check in and make sure you are OK. ALWAYS TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS - If you don’t feel comfortable or warning bells start ringing, remove yourself from the situation as soon as possible.
   
   
4. Make sure they are who they say they are.
   The word 'misrepresentation' is something people can do on dating websites to make themselves seem more appealing to more people. They may use words such as curvy when they mean overweight, or deduct a few years off their true age. If you want to avoid these types of misrepresentations, ask your potential date to photo verify their profile or ask them to appear briefly on webcam in the RHP webcam chat rooms. If other misrepresentations such as marital status matters greatly to you, ask them if they are willing to appear on webcam or speak on the phone at any time of your choosing, rather than when their spouse is not present.
   
   
5. Beware of scammers.
   If a pretty young thing sends you a link to click on (possibly to see more of her on webcam), seems to be soliciting (offering services for financial reward), or asks you for money, do not reply to the message. Please report that user to us via our Abuse Report form. We will investigate further and save you the potential hassle of getting swindled or harassed to join other website. For more information about scammers, please click here.
   
   
6. Be your own mediator.
   The team at RedHotPie does our best to ensure that our website is a safe and friendly environment to make contact with others and have a great dating experience. Ultimately however, as you are all adults, you should be able to take personal responsibility and all necessary measures to ensure your personal safety. If you are simply unsure about something, the best thing to do is to move on. There are many fantastic people to meet on RedHotPie so don’t take that step until you feel 100% comfortable.
   
   

Online dating is mostly a whole lot of fun so don’t feel you need to be wary of everyone. Just keep the above points in mind and you should avoid any problems. Happy dating!