Online Dating Safety Advice

Personal Privacy should be everybody's #1 priority when creating an internet dating profile. But people don't create dating profiles to remain anonymous, they usually want to be found and appreciated. There are however several things that you should and should not do with a dating profile, and other optional precautions you could take for further safety and privacy.

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Things you need to do...

When you are filling out the written responses to a dating profile, you must put exactly what you are looking for, and exactly what you don't want in your personal description. For example, an 18 or 19 year old woman may be looking for nice young men in her area, but will often receive messages from men in their 30's and 40's. If safety is your top priority, you should mention in your profile that you are not looking for partners more than X number of years from your age, etc.

Letting people know right away that they don't fit the description of what you are looking for will encourage the undesired users to pass you by without invading your personal space. When you set strict rules, the gold diggers and sugar daddies usually go away.

If you are being pursued or harassed by someone that you do not want attention from, you MUST block them. All dating sites have a blocking feature for unwanted users and this should be used whenever necessary.

If you meet somebody in person for the first time, you should ALWAYS provide your own transportation, and be cautious if the plans change suddenly.

If you have a "Gut Feeling" that something isn't right with the person you are meeting, or the scenario you are in while on a date, you should always listen to that "Gut Feeling" and not be ashamed to back out and cancel current arrangements.

Things you should NOT do...

NEVER EVER put any personal contact information on your personal profile. It doesn't matter if it is your email, phone number, or facebook contact. With the internet, dangerous people can use any minor piece of information to seek out potential victims. Once you get to feel more comfortable with someone, you may feel it is ok to give out contact information as you build a credible relationship, but never leave it out for the world to openly view.

NEVER meet someone alone, no matter how nice they seem, or how much you feel you can trust them. A first date, when meeting someone from the internet for the first time in person, should ALWAYS be done in a public place, where there are others around. This keeps things casual and safe. Also, you should NEVER meet somebody new for the first time without telling someone where you are. It's also a good idea to have a friend send you a text message, just so your date knows someone is keeping tabs on your safety.

Never give out more information than the other person is willing to provide you with. If they are not willing to tell you their email or cell number, then they don't need to have yours.

Never respond to users who want you to find out more about them by visiting a different website.

Other Suggestions...

One thing people like to do when searching for potential dates is to browse through photo galleries. Statistics show that dating profiles that have a picture receive between 3 and 10 times more views than those without a picture. This can cause some privacy problems, especially for women who are very worried about being stalked. If you plan on dating people from the internet, they are going to have to know what you look like at some point, and odds are, they want to see you before the date, so they know who to look for.

If you want to get to know somebody first, and reveal your picture after they have earned your trust, you have a few options. Some websites allow you to upload a picture and hide it until you give certain users approval to view it. Some sites don't do this, but you could always write in your intro that you have a picture and will reveal it upon request. Make sure this is early enough in your info for it to be seen in the search preview. Many users will still ignore a profile without a picture, but many people will check it out if they know you are willing to send a picture later. This also helps you to maintain a higher level of privacy.

Another suggestion for added security is to remove your birthday, city, and any information that allows people to know what places you tend to visit. For example, you can say "I am very involved in my church" instead of saying "I'm a member at the 2nd Ave Presbyterian church."

Following these rules will help keep you safer online, and when you meet people in person. The internet is full of creepy people, but it is also over flowing with good, honest people like you who are looking for a companion with high character. Guard your privacy first, and just ask yourself "would I feel comfortable letting a stranger know this information?" As you get to know people, follow your gut and take all the proper precautions to ensure you have safe dates.