DEFENSE
DEFENSE GUIDE MANUAL
Structured walkthroughs for reducing exposure once a match looks suspicious.
Used In These Situations
- Verifying a Video Call Is Live, Not Recorded
- Handling a Request to Move Off the Original Platform
- Keeping Your Last Name Private Early On
- Avoiding Linked-Account Exposure
- What to Do If They Refuse Video
- Safely Video-Chatting for the First Time
- Avoiding Unnecessary Voice-Message Exposure
- Blocking Without Losing Evidence
- Muting a Suspicious Match Without Alerting Them
- Blocking Across Multiple Platforms at Once
- Reporting a Profile Effectively
- Keeping Your Home Address Private Before Meeting
- Choosing a Safe First Meeting Location
- Sharing Your Location With a Friend During a Date
- Avoiding Geotagged Photos
- Spotting a Commercial Mail-Drop Address
- Verifying a Claimed Workplace Location
- Protecting Your Own Workplace Location
- Safe Exit Plan for a First Date
- What to Do If Someone Shows Up Uninvited
- Using a Video Call to Cross-Check a Claimed City
- Never Sending Money to Someone You Haven't Met
- What to Do If You've Already Sent Money
- Protecting Your Bank Account From a New Contact
- Recognizing a Request to Receive and Forward Money
- Setting a Personal Financial Firewall Rule
- Safely Declining a Financial Request
- Protecting Shared Payment Apps From Someone You Just Met
- What to Do If Asked for Gift Cards
- Verifying a Claimed Investment Opportunity
- Freezing a Transaction in Progress
- Reporting Financial Fraud to Your Bank
- Protecting Elderly Relatives From Financial Asks
- Minimizing Your Own Reverse-Searchable Photo Footprint
- Using a Secondary Email for Dating Apps
- Creating a Secondary Identity for Online Dating
- Removing Old Photos With Embedded Location Data
- Checking What a Stranger Can Find About You
- Locking Down Your Social Media Before Dating Again
- Protecting Your Full Name From Cross-Platform Search
- Avoiding Reused Usernames Across Platforms
- Protecting Your Employer From Being Identified
- Removing Your Info From People-Search Sites
- Using a Secondary Photo Set for First Contact
- What to Do After a Data Breach Affects Your Dating Profile
- Running a Reverse Image Check Before Matching
- Spotting a Reused Profile Photo Yourself
- Verifying a Claimed Military Deployment
- Verifying a Claimed Medical Professional
- Checking If a Profile Is Brand New
- Cross-Checking a Name Against Public Records
- Assessing Risk After a Few Red Flags
- Deciding When to Stop Talking to Someone
- Preparing Questions That Are Hard to Fake
- Documenting a Conversation in Case You Need to Report It
- What to Do Immediately After Realizing You've Been Catfished
- Reporting a Catfish to the Platform
- Reporting to Law Enforcement
- Protecting Your Identity After You've Shared Too Much
- What to Do If Explicit Images Were Shared
- Talking to Someone About Being Catfished
- Warning Others Who May Be Targeted by the Same Profile
- Rebuilding Trust in Online Dating After Being Scammed
- Monitoring for Continued Contact After Blocking
- Protecting Your Credit After a Romance Scam
- Pacing a Match Who's Moving Too Fast
- Cross-Checking Claimed Circumstances for Consistency
- Responding to a Request to Keep the Relationship Secret
- Requesting an Unscripted Photo to Test Authenticity
- Declining to Vouch for Someone You Haven't Verified
- Verifying a Claimed Verification Badge