How to verify someone you met online before meeting

A reverse image search can sometimes tell you whether a profile photo appears elsewhere online.

If the same photo belongs to someone with a different name, appears across unrelated accounts, or has clearly been taken from somewhere else, that's a good reason to stop and ask questions.

It isn't a perfect test. Not finding a photo elsewhere doesn't prove that it's genuine.

Try a reverse image search with Google Lens.

A quick video call can be useful because you're seeing the person in real time rather than relying on photos they've chosen to send you.

Repeated excuses for why someone can't appear on camera can be a warning sign, particularly when other things about the profile already seem off.

Video isn't foolproof either. It can tell you that you're speaking to the person you can see on screen, but it doesn't necessarily establish everything else they've told you about themselves.

Trying to establish who someone else is shouldn't mean handing over a pile of information about yourself.

Be cautious about sharing things like your home address, workplace, full date of birth, financial information or identity documents with somebody you haven't met.

You can check someone without giving them unrestricted access to your own personal information.

If you're actually planning to meet, you may want something more direct than searching their photos and scrolling through their social accounts.

That's what a NoStrangers Trust Request is for.

You send the person you've connected with a Trust Request. They complete a live verification before the meeting and choose what verified information they want to share back with you.

You can verify yourself before sending the request too, although you don't have to.

The idea is simple. Instead of trying to work out who is behind a profile from clues scattered across the internet, you can ask the person directly.

Depending on the verification method and what the other person chooses to share, a Trust Request can help establish that there is a real person behind the online profile and that the photos being presented belong to the person completing the live check.

NoStrangers also lets people choose what verified information they share with each other.

The underlying checks are handled by established verification providers. NoStrangers is designed so you don't have to send your identity documents or personal information directly to the stranger you're meeting.

See how a Trust Request works or compare plans.

Knowing who you're meeting is useful, but normal meeting precautions still matter.

For a first meeting, consider meeting somewhere public, letting someone you trust know where you're going, keeping control of your own transport, and being careful about inviting someone directly to your home.

If the situation changes or you're no longer comfortable, you can change your mind.