Online Dating Tips and Precautions

• Talk with someone who has been down this path before. Find a friend or co-worker who can inform you about the dues and don'ts of online dating.

• Remember, when it comes to the alternate world of cyber-dating, a significant percentage of the individuals out there cannot be entirely trusted. The person who says he's 23 and going to Berkley may turn-out to be a 55-year-old elevator mechanic with some serious character-flaws, or worse! Sometimes you'll find that the man is actually a woman, or the woman is a man. Caution is always urged and in our opinion, building hopes of a future of romantic bliss based on a few initial communications is very short-sighted.

• Never, lie yourself! It’s simply not worth it. Down the road, you can be sure that you will be found-out! Besides, lying at the start of a potential life-long relationship will only set you up for problems later.

• Don't wait too long before you talk on the phone. You'll learn a lot about another person simply by listening to their compassion, intonation and dynamics in their voice. Have some doubt if the person will only give you his or her cell phone number, you may want to investigate further whether or not the individual is married. The dating site True.com is specifically designed to weed-out the married folks out there looking for some extra-marital fun. They also do criminal background checks.

• If you limit your search to your immediate geographical area, it will make life easier for both parties, but this is entirely up to the individual. Some long-distance relationships actually work. You must be willing to spend more money and travel time in the pursuit of a partner in this fashion. If these issues don’t trouble you and you have the patience to endure such a relationship, then you may find your soul mate 8000 miles away in another country just waiting for you…I DID!

• Refrain form giving-out personal information until your new friend has entirely earned your trust. This varies from situation to situation, but in general, the longer you take to get to know this mystery person, the better.

• NEVER meet a stranger alone! You may think you know this person so very well, but in reality, you could be entirely deceived by this individual; remember, the Internet reaches out to everybody. When you meet for the first time, you need to always meet with a group at a public place, such as a restaurant or coffee shop. Always have the person's name, address, and phone number before you meet. You should investigate to find that the information is real. Give your friends or family the information and tell them your plans. You may entirely trust your judgment, but you must take precautions.

• If you go into this thing with a mind-set that this is only a friendship, then you will be miles ahead of the game if things go wrong compatibility-wise. Attempt to consider it a romantic relationship only after you have met and decided to continue the relationship. Maintain the perspective; if this doesn't work out romantically, you have gained a good friend.

• Before you've invested too much time or money, and particularly prior to traveling to meet each other, get a background check done on the person. You'll need the person's birth date to do this, but services such as True.com include a criminal background check. This may in fact be the best investment of your life. The truth of the matter is that more and more people have criminal records nowadays for some stupid thing from their past. Everyone makes mistakes, and most people deserve a chance to redeem themselves. While a minor criminal record may not eliminate the person from your potential list of possible life partners, it is a good idea to know going in, and make a decision based on your acceptable limitations.

• I you really want to find a person where you have the best chance at a fulfilling and lifelong relationship, then subscribe to one of the services that do extensive personality profile matching based on scientific and behavioral research. eHamony.com and PerfectMatch.com are two of these new state-of-the-art services.

• Try to avoid ending an online relationship by simply disappearing or dropping out of sight. The least you owe the other person is a thoughtful "goodbye." You will be more at peace with yourself for doing this and not leave unfinished business hanging.

Copyright 2005 Dating Director Review - Last Update: 7/20/05