Be Realistic. We are Still Part of the Real World, for Better and for Worse

There are people who hear about our world and try to join it because they think they can get easy sex or they are predators hoping for easy prey.
For both Tops and Bottoms: Check references and don’t accept a person’s word without the corroboration of someone you trust, preferably more than one person.
Bottoms: There are dangerous Tops, people who play outside their ability, who don’t respect boundaries, are careless, or may even be predators.
Tops: There are also dangerous bottoms, people who are not honest about their abilities or what they want and can thus contribute to getting one or both of you physically and emotionally hurt. This can violate your consent. It could also hurt your reputation.
Use all the “keep me safe” skills you have learned as part of a wired world:
Ask for and check references. More on this in Vetting.
Meet in public or at events put on by local BDSM groups first.
Play at parties or events first, establishing trust before ever meeting alone.
Set up a safe call when you are meeting someone alone.