Is Online Dating Safe?

Is Online Dating Safe?

1. Don't feel pressured to meet face to face before you're ready. Always make sure that you are comfortable enough to feel safe meeting this person.
2. Be sure to select an anonymous handle when choosing a username, you can say a lot about your personality without revealing your name. For example if you are a positive and upbeat person choose a username like sunshine or lucky instead of your real name.
3. Use a non-work or non-personalized e-mail address (i.e. janesmith@mywork.com), chat room, pager or cell phone as an initial means of contact outside of the site. Do not give out your home phone number or address
4. If you're planning on meeting someone from a site always tell someone elsewhere you are going and whom you are going with. If you are too shy to tell a friend what your plans are than leave a note... even if it's to mom.
5. Always meet someone in a neutral location. Never have them come to your home or place of work to pick you up. Have enough money to get yourself back home after a date.
6. Always meet someone in a public place, such as a restaurant, or a bar.
7. Always be aware of the personal information you're revealing to a date.
8. Trust your gut feeling. If you are getting a bad/weird feeling even after the nervousness settles down end the date.