Dangers of Online Dating

By David McClellan, August 29, 2014

dangers of online dating

Millions of people visit online dating sites on a daily basis. Sites like eharmony, Match.com, Tinder and Christian Mingle are just a few of the major ones, but there are thousands more for all types of people based on religion, race and ethnicity, and even as simple as mutual interests. Even your local town might have it’s own dating site. Dating sites are a great way to meet new people, whether it be a romantic interest or just a casual friendship. But like most things in life, online dating has it’s dangers, and those dangers are other people looking to take advantage of you.
While you might be looking for your next romantic love interest, someone else could be looking for someone to take advantage of. Some people scam others for money, some people are looking to use you as a love affair, and some people are even out to due you harm, both physically and mentally.

Lies People Tell

People can put up anything they want on the internet, and it can’t always be verified. Some people will create profiles making them out to be one person, when in fact they are nothing even close to that person. A 56 year old male plumber can say that he is a 22 year old male who plays semi-professional soccer and have the body of Channing Tatum, when in fact he looks like Peter Griffin of Family Guy. The worst part of this is, is that none of it can be verified until you first meet in person; and boy will you be surprised. But it goes deeper than that. Some people will scam you for money, saying things like their mother is very sick and lives in another state and they don’t have the money to get there. And you being the kind person you are feel compelled to help them out, despite never actually meeting them in person.

Watch Out for These Signs:

If they act like they’re falling in love with you after only knowing them for a short period of time
If they ask for anything person of yours like bank or drivers license information. Be careful about them tricking you into doing this. This is known as phishing.
Be careful if they ask for money no matter the excuse
Don’t meet them if they want to meet in some place where there aren’t a lot of people

Some people on dating sites will say they are single looking for a lover, when they are in fact married and may even have children, and they are just looking to have an affair. They will try to take advantage of you and use you for their own pleasure, often leaving the victim of their lust brokenhearted and confused.
But the worst people on the internet are internet stalkers. These people make up fake internet profiles and begin to scam you, sometimes with constant messages and emails, but in some cases it goes as far as them stalking you in real life and that can lead to situations like rape, theft, and even death. Some internet hackers can even steal your identity through your online dating profile, and identity theft is a very difficult and stressful thing to go through(no it’s nothing like the movie with Melissa McCarthy).

Tips for Staying Safe When Dating Online

Some tips for staying safe when using internet dating sites are just using common sense. Never post personal things like your address, phone number, or even your place of work. If you are going to meet someone you find on the website, go to a busy, public place. Go to a local restaurant that is popular and frequently busy, or go to a movie that you know will be packed with people. Never go somewhere that you are unfamiliar with and where there won’t be people you might know. Also you should always tell a friend or family member where you’re going, what you’re doing, and who you’re going with. It sounds crazy, but if something were to happen, then someone would have a good idea of what you should have been doing. Make sure you also use a service like ours where you can verify information such as phone numbers, images, social networks and even email address so that you know you’re actually meeting a real person and not someones fake persona.

Always remember to trust your instincts. if it doesn’t feel right to you, get out and try again next with someone else.