Online Dating Safety

Mar 03, 2009

Millions of people of all ages have tried Internet dating services as a way to meet new friends and possibly find a lifelong partner. It’s a great way to get acquainted with people you would never have met otherwise. When done with caution, online dating may even be safer than meeting people in the “real” world because you have more time to get to know someone before meeting him or her in person.

Dating online requires you take steps to protect yourself. The first rule of thumb is to trust your instincts when interacting with a potential date. Select your online dating service carefully. Look for an established, popular site with plenty of members and a philosophy that matches your own.

Here are some other safety tips.

1. Maintain anonymity to protect your identity. Don’t include your full name, phone number, where you work, or detailed location information in your profile or during early communications with potential dates. Stop communicating with anyone who presses you for this type of information.

2. Use the e-mail system provided by the dating service rather than your own e-mail address to maintain your privacy.

3. Be smart about choosing profile pictures. Make sure your photos reflect what you want to say about yourself. Provocative pictures may attract the wrong people. Make sure that your images do not contain identifying information such as nearby landmarks or a T-shirt with your school or company logo.

4. Check to see if a potential date has a good reputation among other daters on the service.

5. Be realistic. Read the profiles of others with skepticism. As you correspond or talk on the phone, ask questions, seek direct answers, and note any inconsistencies. Look for danger signs such as a display of anger, an attempt to control you, disrespectful comments, or any physically threatening or otherwise unwelcome behavior.

6. If a person becomes abusive, report it and block that person from contacting you again using the dating site settings.

7. When you decide to meet, create a safe environment. Keep first dates short, and agree to meet in a public place during a busy time of day, Make sure somebody knows where you’re going. If your date doesn’t look like his or her photo, walk away and report that person to the dating service.

8. If a date asks you for a loan or any financial information, no matter how sad the hard luck story, it is virtually always a Common e-mail scams and you should report it.

Formal dating sites are not the only places that people meet, and teaching online dating safety is particularly critical to protecting teens. Teens are becoming active online daters from as early as 14 years of age.

Thank you to ilookbothways.com for providing this valuable information.