7 Online Dating Safety Tips for
Seniors
Online dating services via the Internet are fast becoming a very
popular way to meet others and form relationships. And the services
are popular for seniors as well.
People at this stage of life are sometimes experiencing the loss of
lifelong spouses and suddenly find themselves in a situation where
they are lonely. For some, the thought of being lonely is too much and
they would like to find someone else to share the remainder of life
with so they turn to online dating services. But seniors must be
careful that in their eagerness they don't overlook some things to
watch out for in online dating.
While there are many honest people providing services on the Internet,
there are also many unscrupulous people who are out to take whatever
they can from others - especially seniors.
Here are seven tips for seniors when it comes to online dating:
1. Limiting the amount of personal information you expose to
strangers on the internet is one of the most important safety measures
you as a senior (or anyone else for that matter) can take in online
dating.
2. Be truthful about the pictures of yourself that you post.
Take the first step to be honest with people. Don't post pictures of
yourself in your 30s when you are in your 50s.
3. You should be especially careful of revealing any
information to a non-paying or free member on the dating service site.
Understand that an online dating service web site is a business just
like any other valid business. They need to be able to collect a fee
in order to stay online and pay their expenses for web hosting
service, webmaster maintenance, and fees associated with making and
collecting payments. A free member trying to get you to circumvent the
system and release your personal information and deal offsite is
probably a scammer. He or she may not be such but the risk is too high
to take chances.
4. The best tip is to try and get a background check on the
person you meet in the online dating service forum. An online dating
service named TheBadge.org will actually do free background checks for
convicted felons and married people who join their site. And they have
some pretty stern warnings for these people as well. Many also do not
know that you can look up conviction information in many states in the
U.S. The court systems in many states have web sites with judicial
records that are available to the public. You can see if the person is
divorced or has charges of domestic violence or other criminal
charges.
5. When you have arranged a first date, meet in a public place.
Also, tell a friend or close family member where you are going for
this date and the times you will be there. Take a cell phone. There is
much less likelihood that something will happen in a public place.
6. Be careful of persons you are communicating with for a
possible date who ask a lot of questions but will not answer your
questions. Con artists and predators are very skilled at getting
information they need by formulating questions in such a manner that
they derive the answers. You can actually give them information you
never intended to give. And because these predators know this, they
will not answer your questions because you might figure out who they
really are.
7. And finally, a good rule to always follow is if something
does not feel right, don't proceed with it. You will be able to tell
when the person you are communicating with is not quite right.
Something inside of you will alert you. Listen to that hunch inside of
you. It could keep you out of a lot of trouble.
Follow these rules and you will increase the chances that your online
dating adventure will be a safe and memorable one.
Source:
http://www.articlecircle.com/
About the Author
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