Online Dating – Staying Safe (part 1)
We’re all adults – we’re meant to be sensible – and we probably don’t need a lecture. Experience tells us that there are some weird and dodgy people out there. Using niche dating services may be a little safer as there are usually fewer members and therefore fewer targets for con artists. Here are a few key tips for keeping yourself safe whilst online.
Remain anonymous until you are confident about giving your personal details to others. Always use the dating service internal mail system which, on reputable dating sites, allows members to communicate without revealing their email address, telephone number or home address. Never reveal your personal details to others initially – keep your home and work emails, phone numbers, place of work, full name and home address secret, in fact, any details that would allow you to be traced. Be wary of adding your contact details to the site in a place that others can see it.
We sometimes feel like we’ve made an “instant connection” online with someone we’ve only just met. Some of that feeling is a result of being anonymous on the Internet today. So go slowly with new contacts and get to know the person via messaging first. Terminate any contact with others who are asking for money. Then proceed to email and phone calls if you still feel safe, attracted, and curious. Finally, setup a first date/meeting when the time is right. Don’t feel pressurised into meeting someone – if you’re not sure you want to meet them then don’t, or talk more times over the phone before making a decision. If you suspect someone is behaving strangely, highly offensively or illegally through an online dating service site, block them and tell the site administrators about it.
Send plenty of messages to your potential date/companion; ask them questions to make sure they’re genuine; look out for answers that don’t quite stack up; watch out for people posting offensive images, taglines, descriptions or messages and report them to the site administrators – they will check them out and take what they deem to be appropriate action.
In part 2 we will offer some advice that may help you when you meet face to face. This information is given in good faith and is intended for information only – we cannot accept any responsibility for your safety if you use a dating service online – you make your own decisions and must accept responsibility for them yourself.
By: Kevin Woodward
About the Author:
Online Dating Headlines That Get Attention
So, you already know that getting an attractive woman to open your emails is the first crucial step to online dating success. Hot women get bombarded with anywhere between 50 to 100 emails a day from desperate suitors trying to get their attention. You also already know that your subject line is very important when it comes to getting her to open and read your emails. Typical subject lines like, “Hey baby” aren’t going to cut it because that’s what most other guys are doing.
Now, I was doing some more brain storming the other day and suddenly I came up with another awesome way to get a woman to open my emails. The email subject line I came up with was, “oh no!” That’s it! It simply read, “oh no!” Now, what is a woman going to do when she sees an email with that subject line in her inbox?
She’s going to READ IT FIRST! Why is that?
Because she has to see what I meant by “oh no.” Did something terrible happen? Is there some sort of terrible news she hasn’t heard yet? My god, what happened?
Well, I think you can see where I’m going with this. Gentlemen, we have a new subject line for our arsenal. So, how can we apply this to our internet dating emails? Let’s brainstorm. Here are a few ways to follow up this subject line:
Oh no! You are about to make a huge mistake!
Oh no! Why are you wasting so much time with these guys?
Oh no! All these boring emails from guys just looking for a one-night stand! What’s the deal?
On no! The guy above you is married and looking for an online fling!
So, we have many different directions we can go with this subject line. Let’s try this:
Subject: Oh no!
Email: Here we have a beautiful Sunday morning and you’re stuck wading through an ocean of boring emails from guys who JUST AREN’T YOUR TYPE! I mean, I know a guy with a profile headline that reads; “single cool dude for big booty girl” really gets your juices flowing but it’s time to take a break! Your day is about to get a whole lot better. Anyway… There you go! Just a rough draft but I guarantee it will get the job done! You take the subject line, “oh no” and then you address it in the first part of your email making it clever and humorous. I like to bust guys on dating sites, especially ones that have horrible profile headlines like the one above. Then just continue on with your email. In the example above, you’ll want to send it to her on a Sunday morning and of course you can tweak it to fit your situation any way you want. In fact, here’s another great tip.
Go on any free online dating site and search through the “men seeking women” profiles. Find a profile with a REALLY lame headline and refer to it in your email to a woman on that site. Chances are she’s seen it and she’ll laugh her ass off when she reads your email.
Go for it! Give it a try and I guarantee your emails WILL get opened quickly!
By: Christophe Y
About the Author:
Online Dating Website – What Are The Problems Associated With It
Paying before you get a chance see the offerings on an online dating website
There are online dating website that will ask you to sign up blindly without having a chance to review any of the profiles that are on the site. Other unsavory practices you may encounter on an online dating website is “bait” profiles to attract new, paying members. There are other sites that use a fake profile that often takes the visitors to other services such as multi level marketing plans and scams and sometimes even prostitution rings. Other ways they want you to think they have lots of members is by keeping profiles of people who haven’t logged on in months.
Getting lured to an online dating website by free or “low priced’ trial memberships
Most people who are attracted by these trail offers will not be able to access all the dating service has to offer. You will often not be able to contact any of the other members or even reply to an email that was sent to you. There are online dating website that require you to use a credit card for your trial membership and when the trial period is over they charge your card for the full cost of membership automatically, whether you have shown any activity or not. For people already on the site, they can become confused about whether a person is a fully subscribing member to the online dating website, or just there for the free trial offers.
Complaints regarding billing practices
There have been lots of complaints regarding some of the billing practices that some online dating website used. In many cases, when users cancelled the trial memberships when the trial period was over have found that they were being charged even after they had cancelled. You can combat this practice by inquiring of your credit card company if they have a virtual credit card number you can use just for these purposes. .
Staying Wary
Little white lies are often used on dating services online. It is easy to tell someone you are tall dark and handsome or young, thin and willowy when the person can’t actually see you. The only problem with doing this is that if you expect to meet someone for an actual date in person, the lie will quickly be exposed. Sexual predators also like to troll online dating services. You should always be on guard and never trust what a stranger tells you until you can prove it for yourself.
By: Alan Lim
About the Author:
Online Dating Don’ts
Online dating opens up many possibilities. The social opportunities that it provides means that it can lead to friendship, happiness, love and marriage. It is based on the idea that people can use messaging to establish a relationship with another person that has a foundation of trust and love (or lust). There are something that you should not do with online dating.
Although online dating is a great way to meet people that you can latter meet with in-person, you do not want to be giving your details to every Tom, Dick and Harry. It is not safe to hand out your phone number, street name or address to someone until you feel that you have started to get to know them. No harm would come from even not disclosing your name until the second or third email. This gives the other person a sense of achievement once they get it. Say anonymous for as long as possible. Most people have had a failed relationship in their past. You should not talk about your last relationship online though. To do so shows that you are not over your last relationship and gives people the idea they they are just there for you to vent your frustration on.
Make sure that you do not just say what you do not want. People do not like reading negative messages as much as they do positive ones. Try to focus on your positive side and prefer to talk about your strengths rather than your weaknesses. People do not like others who brag. It is ok to state your situation and say that you are rich, famous and handsome but do so without bragging. The one thing that you should not do most of all is lie. If you did have a chance of getting the other person to meet you or get to know you better, a lie such as using someone else’s photo can screw your chances.
By: Mary Hicks
About the Author:
Online Dating, Good Or Bad
Today, for good or bad, online dating is one of the most popular ways to meet people. The popularity of Internet dating sites has added to this new way of getting to know someone. Nowadays, you can find dating websites for almost any interest. Whether you’re just looking for a casual relationship or have some specific spiritual, lifestyle, or other needs, there is someone out there for you who is just a few mouse clicks away. And for those with few social skills it is an ideal way to get to know people. So, with all the great dating sites online today, it has become easier than ever to find someone
Of course, care must be taken when using the internet for this. The biggest difference between online dating and dating someone you meet in person is that you do not have the same ability to interact with them in person. You don’t have the same chance to look in their eyes and see if they are who they say they are. This is why caution should be used online. Common sense is absolutely essential when considering dating anyone, but more importantly someone you have met online.
Meet In Public
Common sense, like meeting in a public place for the first time, should be followed. No matter how trustworthy someone seems from a distance, you should still be careful the very first time you meet them. There is always time to get to know one another over time. Your first date should be something casual, such as a meeting in a coffee shop or restaurant. That way, you can get a feel for each other in public. Make sure you listen to your inner voice if any alarms are set off.
Pitfalls To Online Relationships
About the most important things to realize is that it is easy to get the wrong impression from someone over the Internet. After all, with distance between you, each person has the ability to try to give the other person the best impression, and to form an unrealistic opinion of the other as well. The good news is that the Internet allows you to chat with so many local singles that you are bound to meet someone who is a good match!
Dating Chat Rooms
For many, even with many different online dating services available, live dating chat is their preferred method. Dating profiles are a great way to narrow down potential prospects, and dating websites have thousands and thousands of customers in any given area , even when you include your specific interests. When you look at different profiles you get a better chance to see whether you are really a good match. Utilizing dating chats are when things really get interesting.
A lot of these chat rooms are public. A larger group chatting at once has the advantage that you can easily pick up and drop out of conversations. A lot of the time interesting conversation ensue and you can make multiple connections at the same time.
Sometimes, it is simply better to have a two way conversation if you want to get to know more about someone. It is a surprisingly comfortable and casual way to feel each other out. Then, when it feels right, you can email, talk on the phone, or even meet in person.
Internet Dating Services
Today we live in a world that is constantly in change and this includes online dating. This is where dating is at in the new millennium. There is a whole world full of singles who are looking for someone. These certainly give today’s single more options than anytime in history.
There are really no restrictions because of the internet, when you actually sit down and weigh the differences between traditional courting routines and what’s available now, it’s almost mind-blowing. Naturally this is a wonderful plus for singles, and definitely makes it easier to pinpoint whom you’re seeking out.
Dating Internet services seriously increase your chances of meeting someone special. When you log into the Internet and hop on a dating Internet service, you dramatically increase your potential contacts. You can actually be searching on a global level, as opposed to the few singles in your exact area. Dating has never been so exciting and convenient.
Online Dating
If you feel comfortable with the Internet and online dating, the world is literally your own little oyster. Go out and find the pearl you are seeking.
By: Dorothy Santoro
About the Author: