How can I stay safer when meeting someone from a dating app?

Have a short video call first, meet in a busy public place, arrange your own transport, tell someone where you are going, and keep your phone charged. Leave whenever you feel uncomfortable—you never need to justify it.

What are the clearest signs of a fake profile or romance scam?

Treat requests for money as definitive. Other strong warning signs include refusing a live video call, pushing immediately to another messaging app, inconsistent personal details, sudden declarations of love, and links sent early in a conversation.

Does a verified profile mean the person is safe?

No. Verification can indicate that someone matched their live check to their profile photos, but it cannot confirm their intentions, relationship status, or behaviour. Keep using ordinary safety habits with every match.

What personal information should I keep private at first?

Avoid sharing your home or workplace address, regular routine, financial details, identifying information about family members, or photos you would not want forwarded. Share more only as trust is earned over time.

When should I block or report someone?

Block or report whenever someone threatens you, pressures you after a boundary, sends unwanted sexual content, asks for money, impersonates someone, or makes you feel unsafe. You do not need proof to protect yourself or submit a report.

How do I delete my Mekora account?

Open Mekora, go to Settings, choose Account, then Delete account and confirm. If you cannot sign in, use the support page from the email address connected to your account so ownership can be confirmed.

Dating Advice & Safety Hub

Practical guides for dating online with your eyes open

Original, detailed advice written by Mekora's Trust & Safety and Community teams. Everything here is free to read — no account, no sign-in, no paywall.

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The complete online dating safety guide

A practical, step-by-step online dating safety guide: vetting matches, protecting personal details, safer messaging, meeting in person and what to do when something goes wrong.

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11 guides

Safety
The complete online dating safety guide
A practical, step-by-step online dating safety guide: vetting matches, protecting personal details, safer messaging, meeting in person and what to do when something goes wrong.
Updated August 18, 2026 · 9 min read
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Safety
How to spot a fake dating profile
Learn the twelve reliable warning signs of a fake or scam dating profile, how romance scams actually unfold, and the two-minute checks that expose most of them.
Updated August 15, 2026 · 8 min read
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Safety
First-date safety checklist
A practical first-date safety checklist covering venue choice, transport, telling a friend, drink safety, exit strategies and what to do after the date ends.
Updated August 12, 2026 · 7 min read
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Privacy
Protecting your privacy while dating online
How to date online without leaking your identity: photo metadata, background details, reverse image searches, separate contact channels and Mekora's privacy controls.
Updated August 10, 2026 · 8 min read
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Conversations
How to have healthy conversations online
How to start better conversations on a dating app, keep them balanced, respect boundaries and consent, handle rejection well and know when to stop replying.
Updated August 8, 2026 · 7 min read
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Profiles
Writing an honest dating profile that works
Why honest dating profiles outperform polished ones, how to choose photos, write prompts with specifics, state your intentions and avoid the clichés everyone skips.
Updated August 5, 2026 · 7 min read
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Safety
Reporting and blocking: how and when to use them
What blocking does, what reporting does, what to report, what happens after you submit a report, and how to document evidence before you block someone.
Updated August 3, 2026 · 6 min read
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Safety
Verified Mode explained: what verification does and doesn't prove
How Mekora's optional identity verification works, what the verified badge actually proves, its limits, how verification data is handled, and how to use it wisely.
Updated August 20, 2026 · 6 min read
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Relationships
Long-distance dating: making it work from the start
A realistic guide to long-distance dating: setting expectations early, communication rhythms, planning the first visit safely, handling costs and deciding on an endpoint.
Updated July 30, 2026 · 8 min read
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Safety
Online dating red flags worth taking seriously
The behavioural red flags that matter most in online dating — love bombing, boundary testing, isolation, evasiveness and pressure — plus what is not actually a red flag.
Updated August 1, 2026 · 8 min read
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Safety
How to date safely in Canada
A Canada-specific online dating safety guide: consent and the age of consent under Canadian law, provincial support lines, winter and rural meet-up planning, romance-fraud reporting to the CAFC, and what to do after a bad date.
Updated August 22, 2026 · 10 min read
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Quick answers

Dating safety FAQs

Clear answers to common questions, with deeper guidance when you need it.

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These guides sit alongside our Safety & Verification page, our Community Guidelines, and our Help & Support page if you need to reach a human.