Online Dating Has Risks So Be Sure To Use Caution with Internet Dating Websites
Thursday, December 29, 2011
by Sharon Zaleski
Here’s another reason to be careful when online dating. In two separate related incidents in Ohio, men who thought they were meeting a woman they met online — instead were robbed at gunpoint. There are risks associated with online dating. With some caution and common sense, you can decrease your chances of having a negative experience.
Here’s some good information from Reputation.com:
Guard your personal safety
If you do decide to meet in person, protect yourself. Drive yourself to the date and meet during the day in a busy public place. Tell friends and family where you are going and who you are meeting. Arrange check in times with a friend or family member.
Respect your instincts
Listen to your gut. If your instincts tell you that something doesn’t feel right, heed that warning and move on.
Avoid financial scams
Internet dating websites have taken the romance scam high tech. Online scammers flood dating sites in order to make connections. When they have established trust and “fallen in love,” they may ask for a small and reasonable amount of money. As the “romance” progresses, however, the amounts increase, and the reasons for needing the money become more elaborate. No matter how intense an online romance feels, when an Internet friend asks for money, it should raise a red flag. Never send money to someone from an online dating site.
Share photographs with caution
Even the most innocent pictures may contain information that compromises your privacy. Digital photographs have attached metadata that provides information, such as where and when the image was captured. Predators can use this data to find you. Protect yourself by scanning a photograph before sending it or removing the metadata from the JPEG image. Think twice before providing photos to anyone you meet on an online dating website.
Protect your private information
One of the surest steps you can take to protect yourself in the world of online dating is to safeguard your private information. Instead of using your home email address, get a free email account from Yahoo, Hotmail, or another service and use that for all of your dating correspondence. If the dating site offers it, using its blind email address service is your best option. Likewise, don’t provide home address or telephone information.
Take things slowly and don’t rush into anything. Your first priority should be to ensure you remain safe. With online dating, you are empowered to make choices that are right for you. Watch out for red flags. Remember not everyone has the same morals as you do. Some people can do a really good job at hiding their real agenda, even if you follow the best of tips.
Click here to read the story of what happened in Ohio.
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