Top 5 Rules in Online Dating Safety

By Melanie on October 7th, 2011

Top 5 Safety Rules of Online Dating

Finding Mr. / Ms. Right has been extended to the virtual world. Although it is not the most conventional mediums for finding a partner, we cannot overlook the fact that many people are resorting to dating websites and portals to find their perfect match! While online dating offers you an opportunity to have an amazing relationship with someone whom you may not have ordinarily come across in your daily life, we also have to consider the fact that safety can become an issue. Hence, it is always better to go by the online dating rulebook, just to be on the safer side! Here are a list of five “don’ts” when it comes to online dating safety.

1. Do not give out too much personal information

Always remember that the person you are saying hello to for the very first time at an online forum, is a person you don’t know from Adam. He or she could end up being a stalker for all you know! It is necessary to keep yourself aware of this fact, because, it is easy to get carried away online. So, be patient for a week or two till you give him details about your whereabouts or perhaps a contact number. This is why it is always better to be a part of online dating services which carry a double blind system that allows two people to converse without having to exchange email addresses or telephone numbers. The best option would be to use their internal, instant messaging platform till you get to know the person to a certain extent and even if he or she ends up being a serial killer, you don’t have to really face the brunt!

2. Do not agree to meet the person until you are sure that they are not fakers

The wait and the anticipation of meeting your online date can be very exciting but do take care that you are sure that he is genuine. After all, you do not want to go expecting a 21 year old college student and find a 55 year old handy man instead.
The curiosity builds up and while you get to know the person every other day, meeting him or her in person can become a pressing need. A lot of people find it hard to resist and hence meet the person within just after a few days of knowing them. This is not at all a good move considering, having half-baked information on the person and yet deciding to meet him or her in person could end up being very disappointing or make you physically attracted to a guy who turns out to be a doorman instead of the doctor he said he was. Take your time to understand the person. Simply put, don’t let your emotions run over your rationale.

3. Never fall for a good profile picture

We all know about that proverb – it’s too good to be true! This is a one hundred percent true when it comes to online dating. Most people don’t upload genuine photographs of themselves in their profiles. Even if they do, Photoshop makes them look better than what they actually are. So, it doesn’t hurt to check them out on other legitimate and popular social media platforms like Facebook or in fact have a chat with them through a webcam. That way, you will at least know that you are not being taken for a ride!

4. Do Not Meet At A Secluded Place

Even after knowing the person for a while, there are plenty of things that could go wrong when you are actually meeting the person for real. Hence, it is always better to meet the person in a place filled with people, say a crowded restaurant or a coffee shop. Assuming you end up liking the person, it is still better to meet them in a public place considering it is easier to break the silence when people are around. You might have enough time to study the person’s body language without letting him or her know. Also, never asked to be picked up. Take your own cab and get to a place and well, you could show up a little late so that you have the advantage of having a first look at the person before he or she does. If you don’t like what you see, well, you can always walk out!

5. Never give out classified information like your bank account details

This is no brain teaser, but it does not hurt to state the obvious, does it? A person you meet online, well, is a person you meet online. You may know him for several days, but that still doesn’t change the origin of your encounter. It is hard enough to trust people who’ve grown up with you. So don’t let out personal details about your bank accounts, mother’s maiden name and passwords to him or her.

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