Internet dating can lead to finding your love, and many times leads to marriage. You can find a friend, or it might lead to disaster and even death. It is extremely important to heed the "Red Flags" that pop up in your mind when you sense or hear something that just does not seem right about the person on the other end. You should realize that they may not always be the person that they present over email. Be aware! Be wary! Be alert! Be safe!
- Make sure you do not forget to cancel after the trial period. Register and then cancel, both at the same time. This will allow you the free trial and cancel you 'after' the trial date.
- Read his emails to you carefully. If his spelling is poor (and he has a spelling checker), or his grammar is really bad, he may not be as educated as he might have told you he was.
- Never tell him you are very lonely, or are alone in the house, or give out any personal information. This is how girls are lured to meet, and at times killed.
- Remember, do not believe all he tells you, and do not tell him all about you!
- Be smart, be aware, be cautious. You might just meet the perfect guy for you. Love is out there if you are lucky enough to find it.
- "Red Flags" mean danger...if you sense something is wrong, it might very well be wrong. Remember all you have to do is shut off the computer to get rid of him, but erase him first. You can even notify the Internet provider about him. They will bar him, but most of the time he will log on again under another identity.
- When you first begin communicating, save a copy of his profile to your computer. If he turns out to be someone you need to have barred, and he logs in again under another identity, you'll have information from his profile to use in comparison if you suspect he's contacting you with a new id. If he continues to harass you under a new identity, contact the dating provider and explain the situation. They will take steps based on the person rather than the online id.
- When you meet in person, make sure you meet in a public place, like a library, or a fast food place, away from where you live. If you want to be really safe, invite him to meet you at an event where friends of you are going, i.e. a showcase of a band at a lounge, a community event at a ball park / community center etc. That way, if he seems creepy or just not your type, you don't have to leave alone.
- When you leave, make sure he is not following you home. If you suspect he is, then take the long route and don't go home. Go to a coffee shop or someplace public and tell them you are being followed. If you have a cell phone, dial 911 (note that even expired cell phones can still dial 911).
- Many marriages have come out of Internet dating. There are also some very nice and honest people out there, who are searching for their mates.
- Just be cautious and careful another smart thing to do is run a background check on him to make sure he says who he is and if you know where he say he work call his job and verify he actually works there if not don't meet up with him. RED FLAG!
