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It Safe Online
The
Internet has become the hot new place for smart, eligible people
to find romance, and those looking for love are swarming into cyberspace.
As a result, many individuals have begun relationships online with
people they have not met and know little about.
With
so many people communicating via the Net and deciding to date virtual
strangers, it is important to be safe and be smart. Common sense
can go a long way to keep you safe. Here are some guidelines for
playing it safe:
Watch
out for someone who seems too good to be true.
Begin
by first communicating solely by email or online chat. Be vigilant
in noticing odd behavior or inconsistencies. If someone is evasive,
this is a red flag. "Listen" to your correspondent's words.
The person at the other end may not be who or what he/she says.
Trust your instincts. If anything makes you uncomfortable, walk
away for your own safety and protection.
Find
out as much information as you can.
Learn
to ask many questions. Find out where he grew up, where she works,
and how he is connected to his community. These are clues to finding
out who this person really is. Be suspicious, if someone is unwilling
to reveal any personal identifying information. Probe any discrepancies
in their stories. If your correspondent is unwilling to answer your
questions, this is another red flag. Continue with a great deal
of caution.
Honesty
is the key to success.
Represent
yourself accurately. Exaggerating or deceiving is easy online. Areas
to be particularly cautious about are marital status and physical
appearance. Begin with a request for a picture and send them a recent
one of you. If someone is unwilling to send a recent photo, this
is warning sign. If he or she continuously comes up with an excuse,
it is because that person has something to hide. Having a scanned
photo is available at Kinko's for less than ten dollars, so there
is no valid excuse for not doing it. After you have exchanged photos,
continue to fill in the gaps, so that the other person does not
create you in their image. Keep it honest.
Talk
on the telephone and continue to learn more about your correspondent.
A phone
call can reveal a lot about a person's communication and social
skills. It is worth the cost of the call to protect your security.
But do not give out your phone number to a stranger. Trust takes
time to develop. Only when you feel completely comfortable should
you furnish your phone number.
Don't
rush into anything.
Meeting
someone online and then arranging a date in a relatively short time
can be dangerous. Take time to find out who this person really is.
If someone is pressuring you to get together before you are ready,
this is another warning sign. If anything feels strange as you get
to know this person, then it is time to back away and look for another
match.
If
you decide to meet for a date, proceed with caution. Arrange the
meeting on your terms. The following is a guide to ensure that you
have a safe encounter:
Now
that you've got some safety tips, be bold. Check out OneandOnly.com
and meet that someone special!
Linda
Alexander, Esq. is president of WhoisHe.Com and WhoisShe.Com, a professional
service that provides (for a small fee) a personal profile and background
check on your cyber-date or potential mate. WhoisHe.Com furnishes
the most current public record information, usually within twenty-four
hours of your request. WhoisHe.Com has helped thousands of people
discover the truth about the people they are meeting both online and
off. For additional information about this service call 800/503-3756
or send email to CheckHimOut@WhoisHe.Com or CheckHerOut@WhoisShe.Com.
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