If you’re looking for a new and exciting way to meet people online, dating can be fun and rewarding, but be cautious, not everyone you meet online is a great catch. Online dating can be highly successful; there are stories everywhere of couples who met online in one way or another. If you are looking for true love, dating online is definitely one way to meet the person of your dreams. However, it can also be dangerous and scary if you don’t know how to keep yourself safe. To do this you need to follow some basic rules, to protect yourself.
Rule One
Don’t, under any circumstances, give out your personal information. If you wouldn’t post it on your social network for the world to see then make sure you aren’t giving it to perfect strangers either. Online dating provides you with a fast, and effective way to meet new people, but they are just that, new. If you don’t know someone, well you don’t want to let them know where you live, what your full name is, or other personal information that they could use against you.
If someone you’re talking to tries to convince you to let them come over and hang out, just to get to know one another, then maybe you should find someone else to talk to. You want to talk to those who respect your right to get to know them before you start handing over your private information.
You can get to know someone very well online, and have him or her turn out to be nothing like you expected. So, until you’ve actually met the person, and spent some time with them keeping your personal information to yourself is in your best interest.
Rule Two
Keep it public. When you decide that you’ve talked to someone long enough that you’re ready to go on a date, you want to make sure that you do this in a highly public place. The romantic notion of being picked up by the person you’re dating sounds great in theory, but you don’t know them well enough yet to have them know where you live. Instead, agree to meet somewhere that is neutral to both of you. Good examples of this are places like the mall, restaurants, or coffee shops. This will provide you with a buffer of other people in case things aren’t going as you’ve planed. You will also want to make sure that you take your cell phone along with you when you go on your date. If you’re nervous, you can ask a friend to call and check on you to ensure that you’re safe.
Rule Three
Follow your instincts. If you’re uncomfortable with a situation, don’t agree to it. Don’t let someone else pressure you into something you wouldn’t normal do or that you feel isn’t safe. Online dating can open a world of possibilities for you in terms of new people and ways to get to know someone. Online dating can be a great experience as long as you do everything you can to protect yourself from the type of people that would try to hurt you. Setting up boundaries will help to ensure you aren’t stuck in a bad situation.
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