Online Dating Safety

Posted on 10/02/2009

Most of the people you meet online will be good, trustworthy people. Unfortunately, some people you meet on line will not be, and there’s no way to tell through a few e-mails or a couple meetings online or in person. Everyone is on his or her best behavior, when fist getting to know each other. No one will volunteer his or her worse behavior stories at the beginning. It is wise to follow online safety guidelines.

Guard you personal information and be careful what you put in your personal profile. Your personal profile is public. Since you have no control over who views it, be cautious what you reveal. As you get to know someone online, it is better to say “I’m not comfortable sharing that” instead of lying. In the event that an online meeting progresses, it’s not wise to have a relationship that is built on lies or deceit. Most people should respect that you want to be cautious sharing private information. If you feel pressured to reveal more than you are comfortable with, that would be a clear sign you have not met a good match.

Information to be cautious sharing:

• Last name
• Home address
• Workplace name and address
• Birth date (age is OK)
• Church name and address
• Name of places that you frequent

Red Flags

If the potential date seems too good to be true, he or she probably is. Wait it out. A false front cannot be kept up indefinitely. Take your time before you meet someone and trust your gut. If a person talks in hushed tones and often has to get off the phone abruptly, the person might not be as single they say they are!

Meeting

Don’t rush into the first meeting. Most people with no good on their mind won’t stick around long on line if they don’t think they will be getting what they want. When you choose to meet, be sure a trusted friend or relative knows where you are going to meet and some of the information that you know about the person. Always meet in a busy public place.

Checking up

When you get to know someone enough that you think it will progress further, know it’s OK to check out if what they say is true. If you think you have enough accurate information on the person, you may consider checking into his or her background. Do so from only trusted and well-known sources.

Following simple safety guidelines online will help online dating to be a positive experience.

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