Safer Online Dating Tips

Jul 08, 2008

When we think about internet safety, we usually think about keeping our children safe from predators. We should also be thinking about ourselves as well. I am not just talking about identity theft. I have always been amazed by the amount of information we are willing to give to total strangers online. I’ll give you an example, look at the website myspace.com the information people put on this sight is unbelievable. A surprising number of adults put every detail of their lives on that site. Men and women give information about their jobs, amount of income, age, marital status, number of children, location of their home, the list goes on and on.

We as adults need to understand that there are predators out there looking for adult victims as well. A few years ago, a man in his mid 30s was contacted by a person online that claimed she was an attractive 28 year old, looking for new friends. He was sent pictures through email and spent a lot of time talking to her online. She gave him her telephone number, and had several conversations with him. After a few weeks she offered to come to his home for a romantic evening. This unsuspecting man was robbed by this woman (actual age was 38 and looked nothing like the picture he was sent) and two men. During his conversation with her, she was able to learn how much money he made, where he kept his valuables, and if he had any guns in the house. This poor guy was looking forward to spending a romantic night with a beautiful woman and ended up spending the night in the hospital talking to police.

Just because we are not children, does not mean we cannot be victims of online predators.

Some of these people are very good at getting information out of intended victims. Seemingly innocent conversations about relatively unimportant things such as music, movies, vacation spots, childhood friends, and other topics can give a skilled predator a wealth of information. For obvious reasons, I will not reveal how this tactic works, the last thing I am willing to do is give a would-be predator another tool to use against you.

Some important safety tips to keep in mind.

• If you use an online dating site, please use one that has security options available to all members.
• Never give personal or financial information online to potential dates.
• If you agree to meet with someone in person for the first time, do so in a public place.
• Check your computer frequently for spyware.
• Never discuss your home security system with anyone online.
• If you feel like you are being pushed for information by someone you have met online, terminate the relationship.

Never assume that YOU are too smart to be a victim.

Provided by Tad A. Camp