Is being a sugar baby safe? It’s a question that a lot of people ask when considering whether they want to take the steps to become a sugar bay. From online scams to partners who don’t keep their end of the agreement, it is true that not every connection you make is going to be a good one.
But, don’t let that stop you from searching for your perfect sugar relationship! You can learn how to protect yourself from some of the common pitfalls of online dating. And once you set up the right boundaries and safety practices, you’ll be well on your way to meeting the sugar daddy you’ve always wanted.
Here’s our guide of advice from experienced sugar babies who can help you stay safe while searching for your ideal partner.
Familiarize yourself with common sugar dating scams
One of the first things you’ll want to get good at as a sugar baby is identifying online dating scams. This will prevent you from wasting precious time that you could be spending meeting your ideal match. It will also, of course, keep you from losing money or having your personal information stolen! Here are a few ways to avoid being sugar daddy scammed:
- Always use a well-known sugar daddy website. If someone reaches out to you on social media, beware! This is likely a scam. Real sugar daddies know that they’ll have a higher chance of success on a trusted sugar dating site. And you will too!
- Don’t give out personal information. Your sugar daddy may want to spoil you with gifts, a romantic weekend away, or a spa date for your dog. But they won’t need your bank login info to do so. They’ll figure out a way to pay for it without you having to put your financial privacy at risk.
- You should never be asked to move money. One thing that successful scammers have in common is that they’re convincing. Sometimes they may ask a sugar baby to make a donation on their behalf, when in reality they’re receiving the money. Or, they may have an excuse about their bank needing to verify the sugar baby’s identity by accepting a small transfer.
- Be careful about time-sensitive requests. Another popular tactic among scammers is to fabricate emergency situations. They may tell you that you need to do what they ask quickly so that you’re in a state of stress when making your decision. Don’t fall for it! The world of sugar dating moves fast, but you don’t need to be rushed into doing anything.
Protect your own privacy
Unfortunately, there are people on the internet who want to use your personal information for their own gain. Whether they’re trying to hack your accounts or find out where you live, you can stop them in their tracks by protecting yourself online. Here are a few sugar baby safe practices:
- Consider using an alias, or only your first name
- Set up an email specifically for sugar dating
- Don’t share your home address, even if your sugar daddy is arranging transportation for you
- Keep your personal social media separate from your sugar dating profile
- Keep the conversation on the dating site instead of giving out your personal number
Remember, it’s better to start with very few personal details and reveal more as you build trust than to overshare. Once those details are out there, you can’t take them back.
Take a magnifying glass to online profiles
Someone’s online profile is your first glimpse into who they are and how serious they are about sugar dating which is why it's important for you to have a successful sugar baby profile as well. Here are a few things that might raise suspicion about a sugar daddy’s profile:
- Their pictures look too perfect. A sugar daddy’s pictures should look good, but not overly polished. This could be a sign that they pulled photos from the internet.
- They didn’t write a full bio. If there’s crucial information missing from their bio or it looks like they put it together in a rush, it could be an indication that they’re not taking this seriously or that they have something to hide.
- They’re unclear about what they want. If your partner doesn’t have clear expectations, it can be harder for you to maintain safe, satisfactory boundaries.
- Their shows of wealth are over-the-top. If someone’s lifestyle seems too good to be true, well, it just might be. Salt daddies, or partners who aren’t as wealthy as they portray themselves to be, can leave you feeling used and unappreciated. So, be careful to avoid the trap.
Get a sense of a person before meeting them
A sugar partner might be excited to meet you in person. After all, you’re a catch! But, that doesn’t mean you have to rush into a first date before you’re ready.
Take the time to chat with someone before you arrange your first date. Here are a few things that will give you the green light to meet them in person:
- They show interest in you. There’s no reason that sugar dating has to skip over the courting phase that you would have in traditional dating. As such, a partner should ask you about yourself and what you like.
- They keep the conversation appropriate. Someone immediately asking you for intimate photos or steering the conversation toward physical intimacy is a bad sign. It doesn’t matter what kind of sugar arrangement you’re looking for, you get to draw the line when it comes to inappropriate conversation.
- They’re not overly secretive. Everyone in sugar dating will want to keep a baseline of privacy for their own safety. But, there are certain things that a sugar daddy should be open to talking about. These include their previous experience with sugar babies (i.e. whether they’ve had a sugar baby before) and how they expect to fulfill their end of the agreement.
- They’re open to having a video call. Chatting with someone over video call is a great way to keep yourself safe from scammers and catfishers. It doesn’t have to be a long conversation. Even just a few minutes can give you peace of mind that you’re going to be meeting the same person you’ve been chatting with.
Never meet in a private place
A first sugar daddy date should always take place in a public setting. This is for everyone’s safety.
If it makes you feel more comfortable, you might suggest a neighborhood that you’ve been to before so that you know how to get home on your own if need be.
And, even if you had a good first date, you can still request a public meet-up for the future. Just like with traditional dating, it’s better to take things at a comfortable pace before inviting more intimacy into the relationship.
Find a support person
Your support person will be a trusted friend or family member who will know to keep tabs on you during your date. They should know where the date is taking place and at what time. And, they should expect updates from you to ensure that you’re safe, such as at the end of the night.
To be sure, you don’t want to spend the whole evening on your phone. But having someone on the line for you can give you peace of mind.
Learn how to identify personality red flags
Many of the sugar baby safe practices we’ve shared so far have been practical steps to avoid being scammed. But you can also keep yourself safe by learning to notice personality red flags. If someone shows these habits, it’s a sign that they may try to manipulate you or treat you poorly over the course of your relationship. So, seriously consider ending things if a partner is:
- Inconsiderate with your time
- Overly negative
- Reliant on guilt trips to get what they want
- Nosey or controlling
- Argumentative
- Self-involved
- Unwilling to compromise
- Stingy with their time or money
One of the best ways to keep yourself safe in a sugar relationship is to avoid or cut off people who make you feel unsafe. This is true no matter if you’re on a first date or a tenth. Indeed, a partner may hide their more negative traits until you’ve built some trust with them.
So, if any of these personality traits start to appear, it’s okay to end the relationship.
Advocate for yourself
Our final word of advice might just be the most important: learn how to advocate for yourself. When you have strong, clear, outspoken boundaries, it will be much harder for anyone to try overstepping them. Here are some final pieces of advice from experienced sugar babies on how to be your best advocate:
- Don’t agree to anything you don’t want to do. Remember that you don’t owe anyone anything. Don’t feel pressured to say yes when you’d rather say no.
- Be brave enough to clarify. Miscommunications can lead to situations that are unfavorable to you. If you’re unsure about what your partner expects, don’t be afraid to ask.
- Get comfortable with negotiation. Standing up for yourself is not easy, but it’s what’s best for both of you in the long run. You might even think about your negotiations as if you were advocating on behalf of your best friend. That way, you won’t feel shy about standing up for your safety and satisfaction.
- Don’t force it. If something feels off or uncomfortable in a relationship, it doesn’t make sense to stick around. There are so many sugar daddies out there who are ready to make you feel pampered and safe, just like you deserve!
With these sugar baby safe practices, you’ll be ready to have a great experience!
Getting started with sugar dating can be intimidating. And it’s a good thing that you’re thinking about how to protect yourself during this process! With these sugar baby safe practices, you can be sure that your search for the right partners is fun and stress-free, as it should be!