Dating Safety: 10 Tips on How to Stay Safe
When Dating Online
By David Kamau
Worried about online dating
safety? Approached right, it is one of the safest, if not
the safest forms of dating especially compared to random
dating, blind dating or bar room dating. But that’s
subject of another article. This article is about giving
you tips to stay safe.
Nature has
put women in a much more vulnerable position than men when
it comes to safety. Therefore, these tips are mainly
addressed to the ladies.
-
From the word go, never give out your
personal details such as your real name, address, personal
email, phone number or where you work until you’ve met and
you are comfortable with the person. Never use your real
name as your screen name.
-
Use a reputable dating site that has a
good privacy policy posted on their site. Reputable dating
sites protect your privacy, and even offer email address
specifically for online dating.
-
Start slow. Don’t be pressured to meet
or call the person. Ask questions (but don’t turn it into
an interrogation). Begin communication by email only, and
build up gradually.
-
Insist on picking the meeting place
and stay away from home. Pick a place that is crowed and
well lit. Avoid your favorite hang-outs as you could later
be tracked from there. Don’t accept suggestions that will
make you leave your safety zone (example, “let’s take a
walk”).
-
Avoid alcohol. If you must drink, keep
it well under control. Alcohol clouds judgment and makes
one careless. Assaults have been known to be committed by
seemingly “nice guys” under influence of
alcohol.
-
Never leave your drink unattended.
Something nasty could be slipped in. And don’t accept a
drink ordered in your absence (while on visit to the ladies
room, for example).
-
Ladies, never walk the man to his car
or let him walk you to yours. This is danger zone. Leave in
separate ways and at different times. Stay alert in case
you’re being followed. Never drop your guard.
-
Trust your instincts. If you get bad
vibes or something makes you uncomfortable, get out and
leave. Be alert for inconsistencies and exaggerations
and/or evasiveness.
-
Let a friend know of your meeting,
time and the place. Give him/her a copy of your prospect’s
photo, profile, and user name. Have your friend call you at
designated time(s). You could also use the call as an
escape if uncomfortable. No photo? Then no date. Never meet
someone whose photo you don’t have.
-
When calling, block your number or use
a calling card that can’t be traced back to you. You would
be surprised at how much information a computer-savvy
person can dig up about you with just a phone
number.
Don’t let
the above tips scare you from online dating. They are simply
safe-guards against the (remote) chance of coming across the
wrong type of person. As with almost everything else in
life, approach internet dating with good judgment and good
old common sense. Be safe… and have fun!
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About the author: David Kamau
owns http://e-datecentral.com,
which reviews dating sites. Find top-rated, reputable dating
sites. Be e-date savvy, safe and successful: receive
articles, tips and free ebooks=> http://e-datecentral.com/subscribe.htm
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