Online Dating Safety: Avoid the Pitfalls

Use a responsible dating site.

Ensure that the site checks out all its members. They should always check that members use legitimate email addresses.

Respectable dating sites will always safeguard their customers' safety and privacy and do their best to ensure their online dating safety.

The best sites will list some of the potential dangers of online dating on a FAQ or Help page.

It's fine to call yourself Jane1960, but don't use JaneAndrews1960. Similarly don't pick a really sexy username if that's not the sort of date you're after.

A username like "SexxyLady" is likely to attract men after something other than marriage and commitment.

Don't use your real name, and guard information like your address, email details or home telephone number.

You can't control who's looking at your profile, particularly on free dating sites. Online dating scams and identity theft are the real dangers of internet dating carelessness.

If you really start to like someone on a dating site, ask to see recent photos.

This will allay any fears you might have just lifted a photo of some stranger off the web. And that they're some 12-year-old who's messing around online.

People can and do lie on their dating site profiles.

Some of these fibs are harmless, like shaving 15 lbs or 5 years off their statistics.

But lies can also involve married people pretending to be single, and scam artists scouting for victims.

If someone doesn't ring true, don't pursue a relationship.

Don't allow anyone to rush or pressure you into giving your real name, your address or other personal details before you're ready.

Learn to say no.

Online dating safety means trusting your gut. Avoiding the more obvious dangers of online dating means listening to your gut, head AND heart.

Simultaneously.

Which should be enough to earn you a place on the "Jerry Springer Show". If you're lucky.

Always use anonymous email to correspond with people outside the dating site.

Set up a Hotmail or Google account solely for online dating.

Then, if things don’t go to plan, you can terminate the relationship without having to get a new email address for correspondence with friends and family. In the same vein, don’t use your home phone or mobile until you really trust the other person.

Don’t meet your cyber-mate until you get to know them well.

Don’t let anyone rush you, and don’t let you rush you.

Get to know each other really well before you meet, and you’ll have a better chance of really hitting it off.

Be safety conscious when you do meet your date in real life.

Make sure you meet in a public venue, and leave details of where you are with family or friends, along with the time you expect to be home.

Take a cell phone with you, taxi fare, and bring a friend along with you, if it makes you feel safer.

Wait until you’ve met your date a few times before you give him/her your full name and address.

Remember that they’re still a relative stranger, no matter how close you’ve become online.

But in the words of the dude from Hillstreet Blues, "Let's stay safe out there, people."