You’ve read the news, and heard the stories, and maybe even seen the films. You’re as aware as the next person that online dating sites may be a good way to meet the next axe murderer. And yet, the convenience, the choice, the idea that you might connect up with that one perfect person out there who’s been put on this planet just for you – you’re hooked on dating websites, like millions of other people.
There are ways to make sure that your online dating site isn’t harboring dangerous types. The safest dating sites, the kind run by dads and retired law enforcement officers, actually do background checks before letting people post their profiles online. That way, there’s a good chance that what you see online is what you’re actually getting.
First, the good news
There’s a reason why online dating sites are so popular. They do lead to thousands of people finding love and even lasting happiness. The stories about people getting married after meeting via online dating websites are true. Almost one in four, or 23% of online daters, have found their spouse or long term partner online through a dating site.
Dating sites are popular among those who are ?single and looking?, 38% of whom have used dating sites or apps on a mobile device. Again, contrary to the horror stories, many online meetings are not dead ends. They do lead somewhere, and two out of three or 66% of online daters have met up and dated someone they met on a online dating site or app. But you should be aware that if you decide to meet up with someone you know from their online profile, there are some basic safety precautions you can take.
Proceed with caution
Some of the top tips with regard to online dating safety are the common sense ones: don’t give away your personal information – phone, email, last name, address – at least for the first two or three weeks, until you know the person better. If you decide to meet, do so in a public place. Take separate transportation home.
Through conversation and questions, make sure that their stories add up – jobs, residences, family, kids, current marital status – does it all add up or are there any suspicious inconsistencies or contradictions? The last tip may be the most important: always trust your gut feeling, and don’t ever go against your instincts. Your subconscious works overtime making sense of patterns and if something makes you uneasy, there’s probably a reason for it.
Are there any safe dating sites?
Many people may eventually decide to carry out a background check, before taking the relationship to a new level. But experts warn that background checks may not tell the whole story. Some safe dating sites are putting into place more and more checks before posting profiles in the first place. Professional investigators will have vetted individual profiles before you even see them online. With these sites, you can be sure that the person’s profile accurately reflects who they are, and that there are no hidden dangers.
Like the Internet itself, the world of online dating sites is an exciting place with a lot of potential. Like the Internet, it carries its own dangers. The guarantee of anonymity can do strange things to people, and role playing is one of the commonest online behaviors. The safest online dating sites recognize this aspect of human behavior, and build their sites around it, to protect their users.
With all the cautions in place, there’s only one thing more to add: we wish you the best of luck in finding true love and happiness.