People meet through friends, church and mosque, work, and apps. Most dates are just dates. A few precautions keep it that way.
First dates
- Meet in a busy public place you know, and arrange your own way there and back.
- Tell a friend where you are going and who you are meeting, and share your location.
- Keep your drink in sight, and do not accept one you did not see poured.
- Do not go to a private address on a first meeting, or get into a car with someone you have just met.
Romance scams
Scammers build relationships online, sometimes for months, before asking for money. The signs:
- they will not video-call, or the video always fails
- an emergency arrives: hospital bills, a stuck shipment, a business deal
- they ask for money, gift cards or crypto, or for you to receive and pass on money for them
- they move fast, and want to move off the app to a private chat
Do not send money to anyone you have not met in person. Receiving and forwarding money for someone else can make you part of a crime.
Scams in Lagos Your data and privacy
Kidnapping and robbery set-ups
Criminals sometimes use dating apps to lure people to a location to rob or kidnap them. A first meeting at their chosen address, a last-minute change of place, or an offer of a lift from a stranger are reasons to cancel.
If something goes wrong
Get to a safe, busy place and call for help. Report assault to the police; help for sexual assault is available free.