Occupational Health and Safety  » Personals - Online Dating Safety Tips

Personals - Online Dating Safety Tips

Tips To Secure Your Online Dating Safety

Online personals and dating can be a very fun venue towards

meeting that special someone. However, one's safety should still

be the top priority. Did you know that most online dating

services do not pre-screen their users? This means that they

cannot ensure that the people you meet through their sites are

safe enough to be dealt with. So, this makes you call the shots

when it comes to screening them.

Here are a few tips to make online dating less risky and more

fun:

1. Anonymity Breeds Safety, For Awhile

Giving your real email address, personal web site URL, last

name, phone number, place of work, home address, or any other

information that identifies you in your profile or first few

emails that you exchange with other members makes you an easy

victim. Turn off your signature file, or make sure that it does

not have any identifying information, when sending emails to a

member through your own email.

2. Photo Perfect Request

To give an idea of the person's look, thus make you a tad safer,

request for a picture. A scanned photo won't cost so much, so

not much alibi can be given for not doing it.

3. Lean on Common Sense

Trusting your online acquaintances easily can make you easy

bait. If your gut feel tells you that someone is lying, there's

member through your own email....

a big chance that he or she is actually lying. Then, don't go

justifying his or her acts. Look for someone that deserves your

trust. Online intimacy is very dangerous. Don't indulge yourself

on such endeavor at the click of a mouse. Logical thinking will

save you a lot of trouble.

4. Call First, Don't Drool Just Yet

A person's skills when it comes to communicating can be easily

gauged through a phone call. Though it might cost you some

moolah, it still is worth it than risking yourself to falling

for an anti-social. However, to make things a lot safer, use a

cell phone or a pay phone instead of using your land line.

Unless you are absolutely comfortable with the person you are

calling, don't give your home phone number at once.

5. Delay the Meeting

It is advisable to take your time and get to know the person as

much as possible first before saying yes to a face to face

meeting. If he seems to be only spouting or keying saccharine

words that you want to hear, the person on the other end might

have a questionable honesty. Don't feel like you are obligated

to meet anyone, you still have the last say on whether you are

ready to meet the person or not. You are free to change your

mind if anything feels not right.

6. Psychoanalyze or End up with a Psycho

You should pay attention to any signs of intense frustration,

anger or any displays of aggressive behavior. If the person is

trying to control or pressure you, stop the communication. Here

are the other alarming manifestations of bad behavior that when

spotted, should make you stop from communicating with your

online friend: - giving dubious info about appearance, age,

interests, profession, marital status, etc. - refusal to

converse with you over the phone when you have already

established online intimacy - consistently not giving any direct

answers to direct questions, etc. - overly agreeing to your

every statement - asking you to provide travel arrangements

7. Offline Meeting

Before meeting your online friend, tell someone reliable where

you will go and when you will return. Leaving your date's name

and phone number is a good idea. Bring your mobile phone. Don't

make your date pick you up at home. Have your own transportation

and meet somewhere public. During the date, don't leave your

drink unattended. After the date, leave on your own too.

To make online dating work, it is imperative that you exercise

caution. Have ample time to get to know the other person, don't

rush yourself or allow anyone to rush you into doing anything.

It's better to be safe and dateless for a while than sorry.

About the author:

Jay is the web owner of http://www.singles-in.com Online Singles, a website

that provides information and resources on personals, dating,

and singles. You can visit his website at:

http://www.personals-in.com Online Personals