Safety & privacy
How to Safely Meet Someone From the Internet in Person
Here's how to safely meet someone from the internet: see them on a live video call before you agree to anything, meet in a busy public place, tell a friend exactly where you'll be, and get there and back on your own. Keep the first meeting short, and cancel without guilt the moment something feels off.
This checklist is for adults meeting another adult they got to know online, whether that's a new friend, a language partner or someone they clicked with on a chat. It covers what to do before, during and after, plus the red flags that mean the meeting shouldn't happen at all.
Before you say yes: verify them on video
A live video call is the single best filter you have. Photos can be borrowed and messages can be written by anyone, but it's much harder to fake a real-time conversation with a face that matches the profile.
- Do a live call, not just a photo swap. Ask them to wave or say something specific, like your name or the day of the week, so you know it isn't a recorded clip.
- Check that their story holds up. Their name, city, job and the things they've told you over time should match what they say on camera.
- Reverse image search their photos. If the same pictures show up under a different name, stop there.
- Make sure you're meeting an adult. If anything suggests they're under 18, don't meet. End contact.
- Give it time. Several conversations over a couple of weeks tell you far more than one great evening of chatting.
If you met on a random video chat, you've already seen them live, which is a good start. But one fun conversation isn't the same as knowing someone, so keep talking for a while before you plan anything.
Omlet has no friends list or follow button, so staying in touch with someone you meet there means swapping a contact. Read should you give a stranger your Instagram before you decide which one.
Plan the first meeting: public place, your own transport
Good planning is what makes a first meeting relaxed instead of risky. Set it up so you're never dependent on the other person to get home.
- Pick a busy public place you already know. A cafe, a food court, a museum or a park in daylight all work.
- Choose daytime or early evening. Keep it to an hour or two, and have a natural end time ready, such as "I've got plans at four."
- Arrange your own transport both ways. Don't accept a pickup, and don't share your home address to make that easier.
- Charge your phone fully. Bring a power bank and enough money to get home on your own.
- Keep your address, workplace and daily routine to yourself until you've met in public a few times and know them well.
| Good for a first meeting | Skip for now |
|---|---|
| A busy cafe or coffee shop | Their home or yours |
| A museum, gallery or market | A car ride with them |
| A park in daylight with other people around | Remote hikes, empty beaches or parking lots |
| A casual restaurant or food court | Hotel rooms or private parties |
| Somewhere near public transport | Anywhere you can't easily leave on your own |
Tell a friend: the two-minute safety plan
Someone you trust should know what you're doing. It takes two minutes and it's the most useful thing on this list.
- Send your friend the person's name, a photo, the profile or account you know them from, and where and when you're meeting.
- Share your live location with them for the length of the meeting. iPhone and Android both have built-in location sharing.
- Agree on a check-in time, for example "text me by 3:30."
- Pick a code phrase that means "call me with an excuse to leave."
- Decide what your friend does if you go quiet: call you first, then try again, then contact local emergency services if they can't reach you.
It's fine to mention casually that a friend knows where you are. Someone with good intentions won't mind. Someone who gets annoyed about it has just told you something important.
During the meeting: stay in control
- Stay in the public place you agreed on, even if the conversation is going really well.
- Watch your drink, never leave it unattended, and go easy on alcohol so your judgment stays sharp.
- Keep your phone, keys and bag with you, not on their side of the table.
- Don't lend money, hand over your phone or agree to errands with them.
- Don't move to a private place on a first meeting. A good connection will still be there next time.
- Trust your gut. You don't owe anyone politeness at the cost of feeling safe.
Leaving early never needs a long explanation. Any of these lines work:
- This was really nice, but I need to head off now.
- I'm going to call it here. Thanks for meeting me.
- I'm not feeling great, so I'm going to go home. Take care.
If you ever feel in danger, go to staff or a busy area and call local emergency services. Don't wait to be sure.
Red flags that mean cancel
Any one of these is reason enough to call the meeting off. You don't need proof, and you don't need to give a reason.
| Red flag | Why it matters | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| They refuse or keep dodging a live video call | They may not be the person in the photos | Don't meet until a live call happens; end it if it never does |
| Their age, job or city keeps changing | Inconsistent stories often mean a fake identity | Ask directly; cancel if the answers don't add up |
| They ask for money, gift cards, crypto or help with a "fee" | This is a classic scam pattern | Cancel and stop contact |
| They push to meet at their place or insist on picking you up | It takes you out of a public setting | Hold to a public place and your own ride; cancel if they argue |
| They want the meeting kept secret | Isolating you is a manipulation tactic | Cancel |
| They seem or say they're under 18 | Meetings like this are for adults only | Don't meet; end contact and report them on the site where you met |
| They change the plan last minute to somewhere private | It's a test of how far you'll bend | Keep the original plan or go home |
For more warning signs, read red flags when talking to strangers online. If money has come up at any point, the romance scam red flags guide explains how those scams usually unfold.
After the first meeting
- Check in with your friend as agreed, even if everything went perfectly.
- Take your time before sharing your address or inviting them home. Meet in public a few more times first.
- Notice how you felt. Relaxed and respected is a good sign; uneasy or pressured is worth listening to.
- If they turn hostile after you say no to something, block them and report the account where you met.
If someone threatens to share private images of you, don't pay. Adults can use StopNCII.org to help stop images spreading on participating platforms, and in the US you can report threats and online crime to the FBI's IC3. Contact local police if you feel unsafe.
Real, lasting friendships do start online. If that's what you're hoping for, our guide on how to make friends online as an adult has ideas for growing them safely.