28 May Be Careful Meeting People from the Internet in Real Life
Over the last few years, the internet has become an almost integral part of people’s everyday lives. Most people can’t go a day without going online for one reason or another. The internet has allowed people to do a whole lot without ever leaving their homes, such as shopping or communicating with people.
As detached as the internet allows a person to be, there are times where people chose to meet with others they met online. Usually it is to buy or sell something, but sometimes it is because the people decided they wanted to meet face to face. As harmless as this may sound, it can actually be very dangerous to meet someone new for the first time, even if the people have been talking online. The fact of the matter is, a person never knows for sure who he may be meeting.
The Internet Isn’t Always Truthful
When it comes to the internet, there is a lot of anonymity. No one ever knows for sure who they are dealing with since no one ever sees the other’s real face. They may not even get the other person’s real name. Even though a person may claim to be someone online, doesn’t mean it is true.
Anyone, good or bad, can be found online. This is why it is so important for people to keep personal information, name, address, and phone number, to themselves. They should also keep all of their online accounts set to private. Doing so can reduce the chances of something bad happening.
Still, there are times when people from the internet decide to meet in person, for one reason or another.
Choose a Safe Meeting Location
The most common reason why internet people meet in real life is when one is selling something to the other person. Unfortunately, what should be a harmless interaction can turn dangerous, or even deadly, for one of the people involved. This is usually due to the fact that one person is not who they claimed to be, and is just trying to lure the other into a trap of some sort.
In order to avoid being taken advantage of, and avoid any harm, a person needs to play it safe when meeting with an online buyer or seller. One of the simplest ways to do that is to choose the right meeting place. A person should never invite an online seller or buyer to their house, and likewise, they should never agree to meet someone at their house.
The best places to meet are in public, during broad daylight, with lots of witnesses close by. This way, if the other person tries to pull anything, there will be people close by who can help out. One of the best places to meet people from online, is at a local sheriff’s or police station. In fact, some stations have begun designating areas in their parking lots specifically for this reason. This helps ensure everyone’s safety.
A criminal would have to be very brazen to try to pull anything. Plus, setting up a meeting here is also a good way to weed out people who are trying to pull some sort of scam or criminal activity, since they won’t like the idea of meeting at a police station. If anyone ever tries to disagree with meeting at a police station, they should probably be avoided. After all, it is in both party’s best interest to meet in a safe place, and it doesn’t get much safer than right outside a police station.
Another good idea is to bring a buddy, someone trusted. This again just adds an extra witness to everything, and further reduces the chances of something bad happening. If a person can’t find someone else to bring with them, because their loved one’s are busy, then they should at least tell a trusted loved one everything about the planned meeting. This includes:
- Time of meeting.
- Location.
- Reason for meeting.
- All information on the person they are meeting with.
This way, if something goes wrong, someone else should know about it.
Stay Safe When Buying from Someone Online
When it comes to buying stuff online from people rather than retailers, it is always best to exercise some caution. No one wants to get scammed, or worse. Taking the proper steps, like meeting near a police station, can prevent something bad from helping, thereby allowing the person to go about their day without worry.
Hopefully you’ve never had a bad experience when buying an item online, but maybe you have a weird or memorable one. In the comments below, tell us about your weirdest or most memorable experience of buying something from someone online.