About 120,000 marriages each and every year started with online dating, that’s according to Online Dating Magazine in 2007. Meeting possible love matches online is attracting more and more people. In the Pew Internet and American Life Project Report (released in March 2006), 31% of American adults have stated that they have used an online dating service.

But online dating isn’t without any risks. You will find currently numerous people who have fallen victims of online scammers. Scammers would frequently enter legitimate sites and befriend people, gaining their trusts. Eventually, they would secure enough personal info for them to take advantage, ask for cash or worse steal your personality.

The online dating sites might say that they are doing background checks on their members. Nevertheless, a background check can’t be performed that easily since there are various laws about this in various states. This is one more reason why you should still be on guard when entering an online dating website.

Whenever you are entering any online dating sites, there are some precautions which you would need to keep in mind.

• Choose a good and reputable online dating website

It will be much better to stick with paid online dating services. Free online dating sites are easier to access, even by dangerous people. Be aware if a specific dating website has privacy policies. These policies ensure that your personal info is safe from spammers and hackers. Also, if the website looks disorganized and lacks accurate info, then it may be much better to visit other sites.

• Avoid giving too much info.

Be cautious when talking or chatting in online dating sites. Information like full name and house phone quantity could be used track your address and other personal info. Scammers, obviously, would not ask for your social security quantity directly but there are ways for them to find out.

You can use a free email account (Yahoo!, Hotmail or Gmail) which is various from your regular email address. When giving out phone numbers, it’s safer to use your cell phone quantity or you can even have the calls in Skype or in Yahoo!.<br> If a person makes you uncomfortable or you noticed some strange behaviour and inconsistencies, then you can stop communicating with the person.

• Take it slow

You do not need to be in a hurry when setting the very first meeting. Get to know each other very first, via emails and calls. When communicating with emails, pay attention towards the content of their messages. Are they answering any questions or they just rant on about themselves? Scammers would generally create a standard email which he might simultaneously use in various online sites. One more warning sign is when you can’t get them in the other end of the phone line. The quantity may be unreachable or blocked by the cellphone user.

If a meeting is currently arranged, make certain which you will be meeting in a public place. You can tell some friends that you are meeting the person and also provide the required details of the meeting. Preferably, drive or go towards the meeting place or location, alone. Avoid asking somebody or the date to pick you up and drop you off, they would know immediately where your house is.

There’s no rush in online dating. It’s essential 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 report suspicious users. Site administrators will be able to perform their duties well if they are correctly informed.

Additional Resources
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