Norfolk dating agency owner shares tips for online safety

Annabel de Capell Brooke, who lives near Thursford, launched the Norfolk Cupid dating agency earlier this year in hopes of helping people across the region find love again later in life.

She offers a bespoke matchmaking service where everyone is interviewed and matched with someone compatible for a date.

Coaching and additional support are also available to ensure everyone feels comfortable while on their romantic journeys.

The Norfolk Cupid dating agency launched earlier this year (Image: Annabel de Capell Brooke)

But Ms de Capell Brooke is very aware that online dating is still very popular and has spoken out about the struggles her local clients have had with identifying fake profiles and scammers.

"The level of what is going on nowadays is shocking," she said.

"I have meetings with my clients and I give them advice and support about people they have met online."

One of her clients had been chatting to someone named Mike who lived in Mexico. 'Mike' had quickly become controlling and tried to stop the client from meeting anybody else, making her feel trapped.

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Another professional and tech-savvy woman in her 50s was exchanging messages with a profile that, to Ms de Capell Brooke, looked "too good to be true".

The man "looked like a supermodel" and claimed to have a very high-paying job. She felt her client was getting very quickly sucked in. 

A third, older lady - who confessed online dating was "like a drug" for "lonely" people like herself - had given away several personal details to a profile that looked fake.

The profile had started to ask her for money and, because they had video called, the client believed they had genuine intentions. 

To help protect others from similar uncertain situations, the expert has shared her five top tips for staying safe online.

1. Keep your wits about you

"As I said to my client, in the nicest way possible, if they look too good to be true they probably are," she explained.

2. Take your time

"Don't rush to meet them in person and ask them lots of questions to learn as much as possible before progressing.

"Do your due diligence and look them up on social media, too - go on a real fact-finding mission to check they are who they say they are."

The pro urges people to take their time and keep their wits about them (Image: Annabel de Capell Brooke)

3. Don't reveal too much too quickly

"Keep certain details to yourself for a while," the pro suggested. "You don't need to tell them where you live or work straight away.

"Also, wait a while before giving them your phone number and talk on the app or website for as long as possible. It's safer."

4. Never send strangers money

"These people are strangers at the end of the day," Ms de Capell Brooke said. "You don't need to be giving a stranger financial help.

"If they ask for money, stop talking to them, block them and report it to the police."

5. Meet them in public

"If you get to the stage where you're meeting up, arrange for it to be in a public place," she said.

"Make sure somebody you trust knows where you will be - and maybe have an excuse to leave in your back pocket as a  'get out of jail free' card."