Is online dating safe?

I see lots of TV commercials promoting online dating as a safe, good way to meet people. I've also seen some documentaries about women who ended up with someone who harmed them. Would like to kknow the real story.

Is online dating safe?
33,000 people married on eHarmony in one year, according to a study (see Source #1). That's an average of 90 a day - sounds pretty safe.





Overall, yes online dating is safe. But it's also only as safe as you make it. If you're looking for a safer experience:





1) Stay away from the adult dating sites and stick with the relationship/dating sites.





2) Know the signs that the person you are communicating with may be married (see Source #2).





3) Protect your personal information. Don't give your last name or home phone number during your communication stage. Use a free email service like Yahoo versus your regular email address if the communication goes that far (to emailing outside of the service).





4) If you decide to meet, don't allow the person to pick you up. Take your own transportation and meet in a very public place (i.e. Starbucks).





5) If, when you see the person, you sense he/she has lied about things in their profile (height, age, photo) then consider cutting the date short and/or (if you're bold) tell the person that you don't date people who lie in their profile. If the person lied in their profile, they'll lie about other things too.





6) Trust your gut instinct.





Overall, dating is safe, but you can make it safer with your actions. Hundreds of thousands of people have met and married via online dating.





Best of luck and success to you!
Reply:It's as safe as you make it out to be. You're the one making the decision to meet someone or not. If you do plan on something like that, talk for a while first, never give out personal info, and if you choose to meet in person, take a friend, and definetly in a public place. To me online dating can be just as safe or as dangerous as going to a bar..or meeting someone anywhere.
Reply:I don't thuink so. you never really know who you are talking to.
Reply:It is far from safe its a big risk but the outcome can go either way.......Just make sure u know what ur doing...I met my current boyfreind on the computer and he is not at all dangerous
Reply:not safe- some can place fake pictures and lie about who they are. its better to make friends at coffee cafes or something...
Reply:Don't meet someone unless it is in a public place. Do not then get in their car or go to either one of your houses-- NO MATTER HOW WELL YOU'RE GETTING ALONG ON THAT FIRST OR SECOND DATE. If you have the funds available, you can do a background check online for about $50. It's worth it because you can find out if they're married or have been in trouble with the law. Internet dating is only as safe as you make it. Use the common sense you would normally use when relating to a stranger. No matter how much you chat online before you meet, and how familiar they become to you, they are still a stranger. Always tell someone else, like a friend or family member, where you are meeting this person and even their name.
Reply:is walking in your backyard safe? you could be attacked anywhere. i could tell you how they warn people not to do it, but it's pointless. they will also tell you water causes cancer, or you could drown while drinking from a glass. nothing is safe but if you're careful it is no less safe than normal dating.
Reply:It can be safe or dangerous. You just shouldn't be reckless, in the same way as you would be careful about being on certain streets at certain times of the night, or giving strangers your telephone number, etc etc etc
Reply:Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo...
Reply:Online dating can be both safe and dangerous. If you do try online dating, you shouldn't give out your real name, phone number, address or anything like that, I personally wouldn't agree to meet with this person either, if it's going to be established as online dating, leave it at that. Just be safe about it, and you should be fine.
Reply:no
Reply:What do you want? I have met a lot of women from online connections. I think you need to know what you are putting out there for men to see. If your looking for "relationships" that probably puts you in a slightly safer position than something thats based primarily in something sexual. I had one woman who was a real estate agent check my address aginst my name and how long I said that I lived there just to see if I was lying about any of that. The one thing I can say for myself is that every woman that I have went out with said that they were amazed that I was pretty much how I described myself in the profile. Thats where your safety issues really start. How do you know who you are meeting? I usually tell a woman that I'm going to lunch somewhere in the area and have her meet me there... someplace public during the day if possible. Lets face it... seeing someone for the first time in good light is better than "bar light" and you can have normal conversation. So.... is it safe... thats up to you. Good luck in your search.
Reply:i dont think so
Reply:Only if you keep safe I guess. I once met a guy on an online dating site and we chatted for so long until we met in person. Actually we chatted for about a year before we met. Ok, he wsa in Canada and I in Europe, but after we got to know each other a bit and exchanged pictures, we started to talk on the phone all the time and then decided that we chould meet.





We met in a bar...but of course my cousins came along just in case he was a freak! They stood away from us but when I gave them the thumbs up they left.





I had a lot of fun...and he was just wonderful.





I guess what I am trying to say is that I took my time... I didn't just meet and tom, dick or harry and got together with him, without knowing anything about his history, etc...





That's how I would do it any way....
Reply:some times it is but you have to be very carefull be safe - me
Reply:absolutly not. there are too many creeps out there . youNEVER know who you are talking to anymore. hell you could be talking to some 60 year old fat man that has been in jail or something . its scary and i dont recomand dateing online at all.
Reply:I think it is but one of my friends's mothers did that and she isn't (six feet under) lol, so i guess it's ok.

dental supply