Online dating is probably one of the best ways to meet people with the same interests and hobbies as you. But it's also a haven for scammers and identity thieves. While it's easy to get caught up in the excitement of finding a match, you do need to be careful. This article in no way means to scare you off online dating, but to make you aware of the pitfalls and how you can ensure your safety online.
Always be careful about the amount of personal information you share. Never share your surname, address, telephone number or work place – if you need to provide this information when signing up to the dating service, most online dating sites allow you the option to hide this personal info from the public. If you don't, you may find a complete stranger on your doorstep, or possibly worse, scammers and identity thieves could use your information to your detriment.
If you current email address or IM account is a clue to your real first and last name, it's best to create a new, more anonymous one. Don't make yourself an easy target for scammers. And if you're using an Internet Cafe to make contact online or chat, always make sure you sign out of your account properly – the next stranger using that terminal will have access to your very personal and very valuable information, including your credit card details if you're using a paid-for online dating service.
Use your common sense. We've all at one time or another been able to avoid unnecessary drama by simply listening to that voice in our head. Never ignore your intuition – if it says she seems a bit off the rails or that the things he's saying don't add up, listen.
Take things slowly, there's no rush to meet. If someone's pressuring you to go for "just one small drink" with them, warning bells should sound. Ask yourself, why do they want to meet so soon? Or if they want your telephone number but aren't willing to give you theirs, even louder warning bells should sound. If you've been searching for a match for quite some time, don't give in to the loneliness that wants you to lower your standards – if you do you may as well go back to kissing frogs in bars.
Once you've been chatting for a while and finally decide to meet, it's just logical to choose a public place like a coffee shop or the zoo. Before you leave for the rendezvous, however, tell someone where you're going, how long you'll be and ask them to check in with you on your mobile phone every 30 minutes. Should the date suck, a friend calling could also be your exit strategy to end the date prematurely. If you're meeting for the first time, a lunchtime date is the best. You'll have a reason to leave early as well as avoid that nightcap – you may feel like you've met your perfect partner and want to go home with them after the first date, but essentially the person you're meeting is still a stranger.
If you follow these very simple and straightforward guidelines there's no reason online dating shouldn't be an enjoyable, successful and pleasurable.
