Is Online Dating Safe?

If you are too busy or too shy to go meet people who may share your interests and passions, online dating is a great alternative. In fact, statistics show that every year, nearly thousands of people meet online, fall in love and get married. However, not everybody’s experience about online dating is so pleasant. In order to have a safe and pleasant dating experience online, it is necessary that you do some research about the site that you would like to join. If they have a trial period, make use of it to understand how the site functions, how many members does it have and how comfortable are you in using it.

• One of the best features of online dating sites is that you can start a conversation with a person without revealing too much about yourself. But remember, so can the other person. It is better that you do not start opening up too much in the very first few meetings and especially that you do not reveal details like where you live or work. Only after you have met for a couple of dates and verified that the person is genuine can you reveal more about yourself.
• Most paid online dating sites have a way of verifying whether the person joining up is genuine or not. They can use the member’s credit card to verify some details. They can also use various methods to confirm the age, address and status of the person. In fact, they can even carry out a background check to see whether the person has any kind of criminal history. Most online dating sites do the best they can, to protect their members against fraud but you should bear in mind that the ultimate responsibility for your safety lies with you. Trust your instincts and use your common sense before making any decision.
• Before you sign up for an online dating service, understand if they offer you a way of dealing with unwanted contacts. Very often, you will be approached by person or persons with whom you do not want any kind of contact. You should be able to block messages from these people by simply clicking a button.
• Many people try to include a lot of information in their profile, hoping that an impressive profile will attract more people. However, under no circumstances, should your public profile contain any kind of personal contact information – no address, no phone number. Do not let anyone force you into meeting them. Only when the conversations have reached comfortable levels and you feel ready, should you agree to meet the other person.
• When you do agree to meet someone for the first time, take some precautions – always meet the person in a public place, preferably during the day. Inform friends and family exactly when and where you will be going and what time you are expected to be back. Give your cell phone number to them. Always drive your own car or arrange for transportation and set a time limit to the meeting. That way, even if things are not going well, you can give always the excuse of shortage of time and leave the place.