Online Safety: How to Research Someone Before Meeting in Person

Meeting someone you first connected with online is now routine. People meet dates through apps, buy and sell furniture through local listings and find services through community groups. Most of these encounters are exactly what they seem. A little research beforehand helps you confirm that the person is who they say they are, and helps you notice the warning signs when something is off.

This guide covers simple checks you can do yourself, the scam patterns federal consumer protection officials warn about and how to plan a safer first meeting.

Start with what they have already told you

Before you search anywhere, review the information the person has shared: their name, the photos on their profile, the city they say they live in, their job and any stories they have told you. The goal is consistency. A genuine person's details usually line up across different places. A fabricated identity tends to fall apart when you check a few facts.

Questions worth asking yourself:

• Does their name appear online in a way that matches their age, location and job?
• Do their photos look like the same person across different platforms?
• Do their social profiles have a history, or were they created recently with few connections?
• Have they been willing to talk by phone or video, or do they always have a reason not to?

Do a reverse image search

One of the most effective checks takes less than a minute. Upload or paste a profile photo into a reverse image search tool. If the same photo appears under a different name, on a stock photo site or in news stories about scams, that is a serious red flag. The FTC specifically recommends this step in its guidance on romance scams, noting that a photo associated with another name or with details that do not match is a sign of a scam.

Know the common scam patterns

Dating and social apps

According to the FTC, romance scammers create fake profiles on dating sites, apps and social media, build trust over time and then invent a reason they need money. Common stories include a medical emergency, travel costs to come visit or fees to get out of trouble. They often say they live or work far away, for example overseas, on an oil rig or in the military, which conveniently explains why they cannot meet in person. They also tend to push conversations off the dating platform quickly.

The clearest warning sign is a request for money, especially by wire transfer, gift cards, a payment app or cryptocurrency. The FTC's bottom line is simple: never send money or gifts to someone you have not met in person.

Online marketplaces

Buying and selling locally carries its own risks. A common one is the overpayment scheme described in the FTC's guide to fake check scams: a buyer sends a check for more than the asking price, then asks you to refund the difference. The check later turns out to be fake, and you are left owing the bank the full amount. Other warning signs include buyers who will not meet in person, insist on unusual payment methods or ask you to share a verification code sent to your phone.

Check public records

If someone has given you their full name and general location, public records can help confirm basic facts. Our guide to searching public records by name explains where to look. For safety purposes, two sources are especially relevant:

• State and county court records: many courts offer an online case search by name. Records of protective orders or criminal cases may be visible, depending on the state and the type of case.
• Sex offender registries: the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website, run as a partnership between the U.S. Department of Justice and state, territorial and tribal governments, lets you search registries for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories and Indian Country by name.

Be careful with common names. Confirm any record with more than one detail, such as age, middle name or city, before drawing conclusions. A record under the same name may belong to a different person.

Using a people search report for safety research

A people search report can bring several of these checks together. Using a first name, last name and state, a report may show address history, possible relatives and associates, social profiles and court or criminal records, where available. That can help you confirm that a name, age and city match what someone has told you.

Keep the limits in mind. Reports are paid, coverage varies by person and state, and no report can promise to show everything or guarantee that someone is safe. Information may be outdated or matched to the wrong person, so verify anything important. These reports are also for personal research only. They may not be used to decide whether to rent to, hire, insure or extend credit to someone, as our guide to the FCRA explains.

Plan a safer first meeting

Research reduces risk, but planning the meeting itself matters just as much:

1. Video call first. A short video chat confirms that the person matches their photos and is willing to be seen.
2. Meet in a public place. Choose a busy, well-lit location such as a coffee shop. For marketplace sales, some police departments offer designated exchange spots in their parking lots or lobbies.
3. Tell someone your plans. Share who you are meeting, where and when, and check in with a friend afterward.
4. Arrange your own transportation. That way you can leave whenever you want.
5. Keep personal details private at first. Hold back your home address, workplace and financial information until you have built real trust.
6. Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, you can cancel or leave. You do not owe anyone an explanation.

If something goes wrong

If you think you have been targeted by a scam, stop communicating with the person and report the profile or listing to the platform. If you sent money, contact your bank or the payment company right away and ask whether the transaction can be reversed. You can report fraud to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you ever feel physically unsafe, contact local law enforcement.