According to recent numbers, 40 million Americans have jumped into the online dating pool. The amount of usage and particular dating agencies varies per individual of course but even with taking these things into account, online dating is becoming more comfortable and accessible to the general population. For instance, Online Dating Magazine estimates there are over 120,000 marriages per year that are a direct result of internet dating. These numbers are only going to grow as the online dating becomes more interactive Unfortunately there is a flip side. Many of us have heard or seen the stories about online hookups that have gone tragically wrong. While these incidents remain in the definite minority, they do exist.

Many free online dating services have yet to implement a screening process. The result is you really do not have any guarantees about the other person you are trying to meet. But let us face it; even if they prescreen applicants thoroughly, people have been known to lie. This means the responsibility of online dating safety falls squarely on to your shoulders. Use the following tips as guidelines and then later on add more of your own. 1.

Good Judgment None of us is perfect so you can never be right one hundred percent of the time but trusting someone online that you just met with the most intimate details of your life is not a good idea. In fact, it is downright dangerous. Trust has to be earned offline so the same should go double on the internet. If you sense the person on the other end is lying, then there is a strong likelihood they probably are.

It is not only the lack of telling the truth that should set off bells and whistles. Maybe they seem a little too aggressive in their answers or way too anxious to meet you immediately. Whatever the case, keep your thinking logical and your common sense on high alert. 2. Go Slow on Sharing Personal Information You have probably seen those online dating profiles where the person volunteers every bit of their personal information including the exact hour they were born.

Eventually you are going to share things like your phone number and home address but do not rush it. Also make sure your signature file is turned off or at the very least, it does not have any identifying information. Do a little bit more chatting and investigating. 3.

One Phone Call Away Okay so you both agree that it is time to hear each other's voices. Now you are still in the investigation phase so do yourself a favor and call from a public phone (no need to give your cell phone or home number just yet). You should be able to get a better feel for the other person by having a phone conversation. Do you sense something in their tone or words that make you uneasy? Are the answers a little too perfect for your taste (i.e. telling you what they think you want to hear?).

After you hang up do some serious analyzing. If you have to talk it over with someone close to you, than by all means do so. Online dating is the new wave and it can be a lot of fun but to get the most out of it, you must include safety as one of your top priorities. There are other steps that you should follow but start by going slow with sharing your personal information, the phone conversation and above all exercise good judgment. Keep in mind that it is better to be unhurried and overly cautious, than to let your emotions rush you into a bad situation.

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