Preventative and Cautionary Steps

Meet first in a public place, or meet with another trusted individual present. The initial meeting will be safer and more secure with the presence of another, and a second set of eyes and a second opinion could be valuable in making a decision as to whether or not you should hire the individual.
Reduce the opportunities for theft or other temptations by securing valuables and otherwise limiting a worker’s in-home access to money; jewelry; prescription medications; personal identification numbers or other items needed to open credit accounts; checkbooks; spare keys; small valuables; or other similar items.
Request a copy of your new employee’s current Driver’s License or State Issued Identification Card to authenticate that they are who they say they are, and so that you have something other than their stated name, if there are any issues going forward.
At least initially, consider arranging to call a trusted friend or family member at a prearranged time either during, or shortly after the worker’s scheduled visit is to end, to provide assurances of your safety. Have them call you, if a call is not received by a certain time, and then call the police if you continue to be unreachable. This is also something that service providers should consider, as perpetrators can also present themselves as individuals looking to employ in-home help.
Err on the side of caution. No one should take offense at your taking reasonable precautions to ensure your own health, safety, or well-being. If they do, or object or act to prevent you from taking such precautions, then refuse to work with them.