AHEAD OF Valentine's Day, advice has been offered on how to date safely online.

Web awareness resource Get Safe Online has issued the following guidance.

• Don’t rush into an online relationship – get to know the person, not the profile and ask plenty of questions.

• Analyse their profile and check the person is genuine by putting their name, profile pictures or any repeatedly used phrases and the term ‘dating scam’ into your search engine.

• Talk to your friends and family about your dating choices. Be wary of anyone who tells you not to tell others about them.

MORE NEWS: School closures and disruption on roads across Gwent due to snow

• Evade scammers by never sending money to, or sharing your bank details with, someone you have met online, no matter what reason they give or how long you have been speaking to them.

• Stay on the dating site messenger service until you are confident the person is who they say they are. If you do decide to meet in person, make sure the first meeting is in a public place and let someone else know where you are going to be.

MORE NEWS: Former quarry near Newport could be turned into a holiday park by entrepreneur

For further tips, visit the website www.getsafeonline.org/datesafe/