Internet dating safety precaution tips
Online dating can lead to off-line friendship, love and even marriage. Exchanging written correspondence, is a great way to build loving, trusting relationships.
However, you could expose yourself to the risk of physical harm if you proceed without caution. You wouldn’t give a stranger on the street your name, address and telephone number.. don’t do it online! Protect yourself with the following common sense guidelines, and enjoy the start of what might become a very beautiful friendship.
Remain Anonymous - Don’t give anyone online your real email address, last name, phone number, address or place of work during your early correspondence. Stop communicating with anyone who tries to pressure you into giving this information. Check with your ISP server and make sure that your Online Profile does not give out more personal information than you are comfortable with.
Use email redirection services - Listed below are free email providers and forwarding services. Use these services to keep your main email address anonymous.HotMail,Google,Yahoo
Don’t make the mistake when you started using online personal ads! Many of us use multiple signature lines for our personal and business email correspondence which include our phone numbers and addresses. Don’t sent ’strangers’ personal information by including ‘personal’ signature line in email to them. Please Don’t take that chance.
Nicknames - Call yourself ‘Pretty Woman’ Protect yourself against unwanted advances and use a gender-neutral nickname in chat rooms, discussion groups and on message boards. As you can see, common sense is the key to staying safe during your online search for love.
Meeting offline for the first time - Don’t allow yourself to be pressured into meeting anyone. If they threaten to terminate online correspondence if you don’t meet them within a certain time frame, end your online connection. Nice people don’t make threats or put pressure on people they care about.
When you do decide to meet someone whose company you enjoy online, meet in a public place and bring your friends. Your online friend will understand and accommodate your wishes if they are honest about their intentions towards you. If during the date, you decide to go somewhere else, use your own car.
Don’t agree to hiking dates or meetings in remote areas until you know someone very well. Plan a short initial meeting. If, on meeting, you know you won’t be seeing this person again, sharing coffee and a little polite chat won’t be as painful as spending a long day together.
Keep the date light-hearted and fun and leave as originally scheduled. Answer honestly if asked whether you’d like to get together again. Tell your friends and family where you are going, with whom, and arrange to check in with them at a specified time during the date and again when you arrive home.
If you travel to meet your online love, make your own hotel and car reservations and don’t give out the name of your hotel. Drive yourself to the hotel,or take a taxi. Follow all of the recommendations above about meeting someone for the first time. Provide your family or friends with necessary contact information.
Getting out of Trouble - If you start feeling unsure or uncomfortable about your date, politely extricate yourself from the situation. Excuse yourself and leave by the back door if necessary. Do not hesitate to ask for help from persons nearby, call your family, friends or the police if you feel the situation warrants. Trust your judgement and don’t be afraid of potential embarrassment. Better to be embarrassed than physically hurt.
If you follow all of the previous recommendations, you will feel safe and enjoy your online dating experience to the fullest! Be happy, find love!