You’re considering blind dating…great! We’ve all been there, and it’s how I met my fiance. But there are some things you should know to make it a smooth experience. Here’s how to blind date safely!

1.Be smart and find a good institution to connect you with dates

There are a lot of sketchy dating apps out there, so how can you tell which ones will actually help you find love?

The simplest way is to use an app that does the vetting for you. Apps like Spritzr, Hinge, and Loveflutter all connect people through friends of friends. They’re also more likely to limit your dating pool to people who are actually single.

Spritzr is a free app that connects users with their friends for mutual matches. The idea is that friends tend to know other singles and can make introductions that lead to real relationships.

Hinge is another dating app that uses your social network. It connects users with friends of friends on Facebook and gives them potential matches each day. You can “like” or “pass” on the suggested connections, until both parties express interest in one another.

Loveflutter has a similar feature, but it also allows mutual matches to chat immediately without needing a connection on Facebook. It’s designed for busy professionals who want to date without wasting time swiping through thousands of potential matches every day.

2.Make sure you meet in public places

You never know who is on the other side of that computer monitor or phone screen. Before meeting someone, make sure you meet in a public place and tell a friend where you’re going. That way, if something does go wrong, there will be lots of witnesses and someone knows where to look for you.

3.Don’t share your home or work address until you feel comfortable with the person

A blind date isn’t the time to tell your life story. You want to give enough information that your date doesn’t feel like they’re meeting a total stranger, but not so much that they could track you down and stalk you later. Your date doesn’t need to know where you work or where you live until it’s clear that this relationship is going somewhere.

4.Do Your Research First

Do your research before agreeing to go on a blind date. You should know basic information about the person you’re meeting up with first, especially if it’s someone you don’t know well.

Ask your mutual friends about them and do an online search using their name, email address, or phone number. You can also use an online background check tool like BeenVerified to check their criminal records and other personal information.

Google the person. This might sound like an extreme step, but it’s certainly better than having a stalker on your hands. Ideally, you want to find out where they work and where they live. It also helps if they have a Facebook page. If they don’t, it could be because they’re hiding something. Make sure that the person has a photo of them online and that it matches their appearance in real life.

If you met them on an online dating site, make sure that the person has a photo of them online, and that it matches their appearance in real life. Also look at the date(s) that the person joined the dating site and how long they have been a member. Someone who has been on the site for several years is usually legitimate, while someone who only recently joined may be up to no good.

5.Take a friend along

Inviting a friend along to your first face-to-face meeting is always good practice — but don’t make it obvious that they’re trailing along. If they’re nearby, they can help watch out for any potential red flags and be there for support if you need it.

6.Go somewhere where other people are present

Instead of meeting at someone’s house, or a restaurant that is crowded, go somewhere where there are other people around. Many restaurants and coffee shops are open late on weekends, so this can be an ideal place to meet for your blind date.

Let someone else know where you’re going. If something happens to you, your friend will know where to start looking for you.

Takeaway: Blind dating can be safe, if approached correctly. It is important to take safety precautions.