Dating app safety: Tampa man accused of sexual assault, kidnapping two online dates

TAMPA, Fla. - Prosecutors in Hillsborough County said Troy Eubanks met up with two people in person after meeting online.

The Accusations

The backstory:

There he is accused of using a weapon to kidnap them and force them to perform sexual acts. In one case, they say he also stole a victim's car, stranding them.

"Anybody who goes on a dating app with the intention of assaulting somebody, they know they're doing something wrong," said retired FBI special agent Rich Kolko.

How to Stay Safe

Why you should care:

Safety is always important, especially with online meetups.

"If there's an uncomfortable situation, for whatever reason, your common sense should take over and just get yourself out of that situation, regroup and come back and address it later," Kolko said.

Kolko said to stay safe.

His tips include: it is important to meet up in a public place, never get in a stranger's car, keep an eye on food and drink, tell a friend where you are going and check in and even try video chatting before meeting up.

April Arnold is the program director at Survivor Ventures, a group that supports survivors of trafficking.

"Buy a background tool kit, you know where you can do backgrounds on people," Arnold said.

The Victims

What they're saying:

Arnold works with survivors of sexual trafficking. She said the internet has made sexual crimes more complicated.

"He was just asking for a date but look at what he did. He then kidnapped them, raped them, sexually exploited them," Arnold said. "It's going to be so much trauma for these women."

Both Arnold and Kolko said it is important to remember that these victims went through trauma as they look for justice.

"This is not a victim-blaming game," Kolko said.

Next Steps

What we don't know:

We do not know if and when Eubanks could face a trial.