Take No Chances: Online Dating Safety
Online dating is not without risks. There are already numerous people who have fallen victim to online scammers. Scammers usually enter legitimate online dating websites posing as someone looking for a serious relationship. Their goal is to either get money by asking for it, usually by making up a sob story, or to extract enough information to steal their identity. This is another reason to take it slow and trust your instincts when using online dating.
Some online dating sites claim that they do background checks on their prospective members, but background checks cannot always be performed easily since there are different laws in different states.
Whenever you use any online dating service there are some precautions that you have to keep in mind.
Choose a Good and Reputable Online Dating Site
It is usually better and safer to stick with the paid online dating services. Free online dating sites are much easier to access. Having to provide a credit card for access provides some additional security.
Be aware of the privacy policy of each dating site. These policies ensure that your personal information is safe from spammers and hackers. You should use your instincts when choosing an online dating site. Check out several or more sites before you sign up. If a site looks disorganized, is hard to use, and lacks accurate information, then it may be better to visit other sites.
Avoid Giving Out Too Much Information in Your Profile or in Email
Be cautious when talking or chatting in online dating sites, and watch out for people that try to get personal information from you. Information like full name and home phone number can be used to find your address and other personal information. Scammers, of course, would not ask for your social security number directly but there are ways for them to find out. For example if they know your home address or landline phone number they may be able to steal mail from your mailbox and get your social security number. Since most dating services require your city or town in your profile you should guard all other information carefully, especially your full name.
Use A Different Email
You can use a free email account such as Yahoo!, Hotmail or Gmail which is different from your regular email address. When giving out phone numbers, it is safer to use your cell phone number or you could even have the calls in Skype or in Yahoo!. If a person makes you uncomfortable or you noticed some strange behavior and inconsistencies, then you could stop communicating with the person. Most services allow you to block messages from people you don’t want, and even to report them to the service if you think they may be up to no good.
Take it Slow
You do not have to be in a rush to have your first face-to-face meeting. Get to know each other first, through emails and calls. When communicating with emails, pay attention to the content of their messages, and if your emails are being answered in a reasonable amount of time. Are they answering your questions thoughtfully or do they just rant on about themselves?
Scammers often create a standard email which they may use in different online sites. Another warning sign is when they will only call you, and you cannot get them on the phone. The number may be unreachable, have no voice mail, or be blocked by the cellphone user.
If a meeting is already arranged, make sure that you meet in a public place. You could let some friends know where & when you are meeting someone. Preferably, drive or go to the meeting place or location, alone. Avoid asking your date to pick you up and drop you off to keep your address private.
There is no rush in online dating. It is important to take your time and get to know the person you are talking to. Do everything according to your own pace. Don’t be afraid to follow your feelings and take action to block or report a user if someone is behaving inappropriately or suspiciously
