Precautions for Safe Online Free Dating

Meeting with someone through the Net can be exciting, yet at the same time dangerous. Although you get to meet different people from different places, the Internet is not enough to create trust towards another person. Before you venture into this activity, please be cautious and read our tips.

Don't give out personal information - This includes your last name, home or work address, phone numbers, bank account data, and other sensitive details. Sometimes, scammers who steal other people's bank savings may disguise themselves into singles looking for love through the Internet.

Don't afraid to ask - On the Internet, people can pretend to be someone else. It's not easy to determine if someone is being honest since you have no visual, vocal, or body language to analyze, even if you have webcams and voice chats. It is okay to ask the other person for proof of important matters like job status, educational degrees, and others.

Do not use your phone to call - Hearing your date's voice erases a level of anonymity. However, it is best not to use your own phone when calling. Use a payphone instead to avoid problems with caller ID. If you and your date have a voice chat program in your computer (such as Skype or Yahoo! Messenger with Voice), you can talk to your date for free.

Listen and analyze your date's voice - It is best to talk with the person either through online or phone several times before meeting face-to-face. You can learn a lot about someone's personality by hearing his or her voice and how they talk. Be cautious if you feel that the other person is trying to manipulate you or making up answers just to please you. Also, watch out for signs of anger and frustration while getting to know them over the Net.

Never meet the person alone - It is best to meet the other person on a public place. Never go overseas just to meet this other person (unless you deeply trust him or her). You can bring along a friend, or tell a friend about your date beforehand.