Online Dating Safety
From LoveToKnow Online
Online dating safety is a real concern as many people turn to their computers to find love and more and more lasting relationships come from online dating. If you haven’t tried it yet and you are looking for a relationship, you should check it out. To get the most out of it and have a positive experience, though, you need to stay safe.
Online Dating Safety Tips
Online dating is a fun and effective way to meet people and build relationships. It is no less safe that meeting people in most traditional ways. For the best possible experience, you just have to use common sense to protect yourself. Here are five tips to protect yourself in online dating.
Be Anonymous
While you are getting started and just getting to know people, stay away from using your real name, e-mail address, personal website or address or phone number. Most people are on the sites for the same reasons you are, but there are some wackos out there, and being aware of online dating safety can keep you away from them. You don’t want them to know who you are until you are comfortable with them. If someone pressures you for personal information before you are ready to give it up you should quit communicating with them.
Watch For Consistency
As you are communicating with potential dates, pay attention to their story to make sure it doesn’t change. If they aren’t consistent with their age, job, education or any other details, there is a good chance that they are making up the information or exaggerating. Most people are on online dating sites for the right reasons, but some people are out to deceive people. If you are alert you can avoid potential problems.
Use The Telephone
If you have made a good connection with someone online and you think there might be some sparks, trade phone numbers and speak on the phone. For online dating safety, it’s a good idea to use a cellphone or call from a payphone if possible so your address can’t be found from the phone number. Talking on the phone will give you a clearer picture of the person's communication and social skills. This is an easy way to make an assessment before you decide if you want to meet someone in person.
Ask For Photos
At the very least you want to see a picture of the person before you meet them. Make sure that the photo seems like it is a real person and is consistent with the description of the person. Ideally, you would like to see several pictures of the person in different settings so you can get a better feeling about the person. If someone keeps coming up with excuses to avoid providing a photo then something is probably up.
Meet In A Safe Place
When you do finally decide to move into the real world, be safe about it. Meet somewhere like a coffee shop where there are lots of people and little pressure. That way, if something goes wrong or you want to make an early exit you can do it easily. Use your own transportation to get there and leave on your own when the first date is over. Before you go, let a friend or family member know where you are going and give them all of the personal details you have about the person you are meeting in case something goes wrong.
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