Safety Tips for Online Dating

There is something about meeting in chat rooms and online that makes people more willing to trust a complete stranger than usual. This is because often there is anonymity to the process that allows you to imagine that the person is trustworthy even if he or she isn't.
You probably wouldn't agree to go home with a complete stranger that you meet in a bar who is wearing a paper bag over his head, even though this is the real life equivalent of what goes on in cyber dating.
Often you don't know what the person you are talking to online looks like, where they are from or the truth of their circumstances. The rule of thumb here should be to be even more cautious meeting someone online then you would be meeting a stranger in a bar.
There are quite a few practical things that you can to ensure your privacy and safety while trying to meet people online.

First and foremost, never use your real name online. Most sites automatically ask you to create an alias or member name that is for specific use with their service. Never put your first and last name or your address on your profile. This is asking for romantic trouble as well as email from spammers. The result is an email box full of junk mail and possibly correspondence from a mentally ill individual or a stalker.

The best online dating or chat sites will already have an interactive, anonymous email program in place right on the site. It is also a good idea to never reveal your primary email address for online dating correspondence. Create an online account with yahoo or hotmail that allows you to conceal your identity if you are expecting to receive emails outside of the site. Once again, don't use your real name on those accounts or on any kind of instant messenger device that you might plan on using for chat.

You've probably heard the phrase "Buyer Beware". When it comes to online dating "Lover Beware" applies. Approach virtual relationships the same way you would approach any "real time" relationship. For example, getting to know the person first before you agree to a wild night of passion might be a good idea.

Don’t reveal too much about yourself until you are confident that you can trust the person. Don’t let anyone rush you into a face-to-face meeting if you are not ready. In fact if someone is pressuring you to meet him or her, that should be considered to be a red flag. You have to ask yourself "what's the hurry?" Sometimes it is because the person has only so many days to fool around before his wife gets back from her trip!