Millions of people use dating apps and most do it without experiencing anything unsafe, still, it is important that you take care to ensure your safety. As long as you are smart about using dating apps, you will meet some great dates and have some of the best times you've ever had. Remember to take things slow and before you use dating apps take the time to check out our top tips on How To Safely Use Dating Apps Today.

When you decide that it is time to finally meet and have a date with someone that you have been chatting with online you need to get their REAL name, hopefully, this has already happened as you've been chatting back and forth, but if it hasn't, this is a MUST do before going out to meet 'Buffguy99' or 'sexygal01'. Once you have exchanged names get their facebook, twitter or Instagram so that this can help you to verify if they are real or not. Don't be afraid to check them out, you may feel like a bit of a stalker but remember that this is for your own safety and don't ever feel bad for ensuring that the person that you're meeting is who they say they are.

Chatting on the phone before you actually meet is probably a good idea, so get their number and give them a call. This can often help you to weed out the good ones from the bad and even from the creepy. Many people have their real name on their mobile accounts so when they call you it will be easy to verify that they are who they say they are. Chatting on the phone can also help to ensure that there are no misunderstandings as sometimes a text doesn't convey what you are really trying to say or it can even be misinterpreted at times. Plain and simple, talking on the phone can establish a far more intimate relationship right from the beginning and put you much more at ease.

If you are dealing with a fake profile then it is likely that there will only be a limited amount of pictures that the person that you're chatting with can send to you. Ask them to snap a pic when you're chatting back and forth and send it to you right then, follow them on Instagram or find them on facebook and check out their profile (if it's public). This is likely the best way to see current up to date photos and don't be afraid to ask for up close pics of their face to verify that they are who they say they are. If they're not comfortable with this, or if they seem to avoid sending you photos it is time to cut them loose since it is likely that the person you're chatting with is not who they say they are.

Tell someone about your date.You do not need to give your friend or family member every detail of your upcoming date but make sure that someone (or several someones) knows where you're heading and what you're planning to do on your date. You only need to give them the coles notes version, but PLEASE ensure that you don't change your plans mid-date unless you've called or sent a text to your friend or family member first. If something does go wrong then you will have someone with this information to be sure that you're safe. It's also extremely important to always have an out when you're headed out on a date, use a code text or call to a friend or family member so that you can bolt if you need to. If you are not 'feeling' it, there's nothing wrong with ending the date early, even if you're just trying to be nice, make it clear when the date is over to the person you're with and let your loved one know when you are home safe.

Agreeing on expectations of the date before it actually happens is a MUST! This is good no matter what the circumstances of your date are. Agree on what it is that you expect to get out of the date beforehand, whether it's a date, a hook-up or something else, make sure that you're both on the same page with what your expectations are. If you're looking for a hook-up and sex be sure to discuss it beforehand and what it is that you want to do so there are no surprises when you do finally get together. If you're looking to meet someone for something more long term, be sure to let them know that ahead of time as well, but remember that just because you're going out on a date does not mean that you are automatically in a relationship or on your way to a walk down the aisle.

It's easy to meet in public if you are going on a date but if it is only for a hook up make it a rule that you meet somewhere public first and then take it from there. That way you can decide if you feel safe or not before getting into a situation that will be difficult to get out of. Meeting in public even when you're only meeting for a hook up is a good way to feel out whether or not the person is who they have said that they are. Start off with at least a drink and then you can decide what to do next. Decide if you are going to take the date to the next step if there is some attraction there or if you're just not feeling it then you can thank your date for the drink and move on. If you are looking for more of a long-term thing, it's best to meet in a public place for the first few dates just to play it safe then once you've gone out a couple of times, you can make it more intimate and meet at each other's homes.

When using dating apps, you need to remember to think with your head and not with what's between our legs. Sexual desire is real, and it's important to have your needs met BUT your safety is far more important than getting laid. It's never a smart move to go out to a part of the city that isn't favorable or to travel by yourself late at night just to have sex. If you are headed to a place to meet someone and you wouldn't normally go there by yourself, steer clear no matter what time of day it is. Trust your gut ALWAYS and if something doesn't feel right then don't do it.

Be honest about who you are AND what you look like! You expect this from the dates you are meeting online so it only makes sense that you too are honest about yourself. Remember that once you start making up stories and changing 'truths' you're only setting yourself up to get caught. Being honest means telling the other person right from the beginning what it is that you're looking for and want out of your 'relationship' so that there is no disappointment or hurt feelings. The best thing that you can do is, to be honest about who you are and do not try to be someone that you're not.

If something happens that isn't appropriate, then make sure that you tell the administrators of the app immediately. It could be a bug with the app that you need to report or that someone that you have been chatting with is not who they say they are or even something far more serious. Regardless of what it is that you've experienced you want to make sure that it doesn't happen again to you or anyone else for that matter and the only real way to do that is to report what has happened to you. Remember it's better to be safe than sorry, there's no reason for you to feel bad for taking extra precautions and being safe at all times.

Meeting someone that you click with on a dating app does not mean that you are automatically going to have sex with them. If you're not feeling it, it's completely acceptable for you to say so and walk away from the date without feeling bad about it. Remember that there is no commitment just because you met someone on a dating app. If you don't want to go out on another date with the person that you've met, say so right away rather than beating around the bush. Likewise, if you aren't feeling a hookup then say so right away so that you're not wasting your time or your dates time. You need to take care of you first and foremost and there's no reason to put yourself in jeopardy, instead just say no and walk away from the situation.

When you finally do go out on your date, DO NOT drink more than you can handle, know what your limit is and stick to your guns. Because you're just meeting someone who you have absolutely no clue about it's better to be safe than sorry. DO NOT get drunk, no matter what, under NO circumstances should this ever happen when you first start dating someone. If you do drink too much it's likely that you will make decisions that are not normally ones that you typically make. You need to keep your wits about you so that you can make rational decisions that won't leave you with a whole lot of regret after the fact.

You don't know who it is that's reading the profile that you've created so be mindful of how much you share on your profile. Don't include personal information including your full name (leave out your last name), your address of where you live or work or where you hang out. Be sure to create a username that doesn't have personal information in it as well. Don't give out your personal social media information right away either. Once you've spent some time chatting and perhaps even gone out on a few very public dates, then you can share more personal information about yourself.

Dating today has come a long way from where it used to be 5, 10 and 15 years ago. With online dating and dating apps, dating has become easier than it has ever been. Dating apps make it simple to find potential dates that have what it is that you're looking for in a special someone to date. Whether it's that you want to meet someone for a hookup or you want something more serious, dating apps are helping singles to meet and find a relationship that works for them. As long as you use common sense and use a dating app safely you can easily have some of the best dates of your life! Remember to trust your gut, if it doesn't feel right, then it probably isn't, so move on! Who knows, you may even find 'the one' after all of this. Everything will be well worth your time and extra precautions that you've taken along the way.

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