In the 21st century technology is taking over more and more of the dating scene. Everyone has seen those EHarmony and Match.com commercials about all the success stories. Whether they are true or not is a growing problem. Can you really trust someone you’ve met online enough to meet him/her in real life? Online dating can be a fun and effective way of meeting The One. However, there are risks. The world is filled with dangerous and sick people who use the internet to their advantage. It is very important to use caution and common sense when entering the cyber world of dating. I have provided some tips to use if you do decide to explore cyber dating.
Use Your Gut
On-line relationships are always shrouded in mystery. If something doesn’t feel right, it most likely isn’t. Trust your instincts and move on.
Never Give Out Personal Information Too Soon
A person armed with your home phone number can find your home address (without you knowing) in just a few clicks. There are sites that have your personal information without your consent. Spokeo.com is one site that I personally had to delete my information from. They had my email, address, and phone number.
Set Up An Anonymous Email Account
When you’re ready to communicate with someone outside of the security of the online dating service you are using, you may want to consider using an anonymous email account from a service like Yahoo or Hotmail. Be sure to change your account information to not give out your full name. Doing this helps protect your privacy more as it’s fairly easy to get information on a person based on his/her actual email address that s/he has used for years.
Drive Yourself to the Date Destination
Until you really know a person, it’s a good idea to provide your own transportation. There’s no reason the person you are dating needs to know where you live in the initial stages.
If a relationship is continuously kept on an online/phone chat level, it is fantasy. Think about it. You can actually think about your words before you type them…you can log out if you’re feeling blue or the other person’s in a mood.Unfortunately, the day-to-day irritants of sharing space with another human being are never experienced or confronted. S/he doesn’t get angry with you because you’ve left the milk out once again. You don’t see how s/he reacts when s/he’s under pressure, and s/he doesn’t see how you act when you’re tired and stressed. You never have to confront the major issues of finances, life’s “to do” list, scheduling, and perhaps his or her odd family members and friends. Life exists on a one-dimensional level where you’re always anticipating, willing, and ready. As we all know, real life isn’t like that.
Meeting someone online could lead to an amazing relationship, but only if you take these precautions and follow your intuition. Would you ever date someone you met online?