Meeting safely and reporting scams

What the site does and doesn't check

Every photo on Fish For Singles is reviewed, but what members write about themselves is not checked. Identity isn't checked by default either.

Some members choose an optional ID-verified badge, which involves photo ID and a selfie checked by an outside provider. Profiles are also shared with partner sites in the same network, so you'll meet people who joined elsewhere.

None of this means people are dishonest. It means you should treat a profile as a starting point, not proof. More detail is on how it works.

Before you meet

Take a little time first: a few days of messages and a video call tell you a lot about someone.

• Chat for a while first. Someone who always has a reason not to talk on video is worth being wary of.
• Keep personal details back. Your home address, workplace, and the exact spot you fish every Sunday can wait.
• Look them up. A reverse image search of their photos can show whether the pictures belong to someone else.
• Trust your gut. If something feels off, you don't owe anyone a date.

A first-date checklist

Meet somewhere public and busy, in daylight, and get there and back under your own steam.

1. Choose a busy place you know, with people around and an easy way out.
2. Travel there yourself. Don't accept a lift from someone you've just met, and don't offer one.
3. Tell a friend where you're going, who you're meeting, and when you'll check in.
4. Charge your phone and keep your drink in sight.
5. Leave whenever you want. A polite "I'm going to head off" is all you need.

Outdoor first dates

On a site for anglers, many first dates happen outdoors. The same rules apply, with a few extras: pick a busy, well-used spot and check the conditions before you go.

A day-ticket lake with a café, a town pier, a popular park or a busy towpath all work well. Save the remote river bend, the empty beach and the long hill walk for when you know each other.

Near water, check tides and forecasts, stay back from unstable banks and pier edges, and never fish under power lines. If you fall into cold water, the RNLI's Float to Live advice is to fight the urge to thrash about, lean back with your arms and legs out, and float until you've got your breath back. If someone else falls in, don't go in after them: call 999 and ask for the Coastguard at the coast or the fire service inland.

Our guide to fishing as a first date covers water safety in more detail, and outdoor date ideas has plenty of safe first-date options.

The signs of a romance scam

The biggest warning sign is any request for money from someone you haven't met in person. Watch, too, for someone who:

• moves very fast, with intense affection within days;
• wants to move the chat off the site straight away;
• is always abroad, offshore, on a rig, in the military or travelling for work;
• can never meet or video call, with a new excuse each time;
• asks you to keep the relationship secret from friends and family.

Never send money, gift cards or crypto to someone you haven't met in person, whatever the story. Our full guide to spotting a romance scam explains the common scripts and what to say.

Where to report a scam

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, report fraud to Report Fraud; in Scotland, to Police Scotland on 101. If you've paid money, call your bank first.

Also tell the members area about the profile. Contact the members help centre with the member's username and what happened, so the account can be looked at. Keep screenshots of messages and any payment details; they help the police and your bank.

If you've already sent money

Don't be embarrassed. These scams are run by organised criminals who are very good at what they do.

Stop sending money, call your bank, report it as above, and change any passwords you've shared. Be wary of anyone who then contacts you offering to recover your money for a fee; that's often a second scam. In England and Wales, Victim Support offers free, confidential help on 08 08 16 89 111.