Inside Online Dating

Online dating is a great way to meet new people who share   your interests and thousands of couples have ended up getting married as the result of a first meeting online. However, in the beginning you are still meeting someone you don't know a whole lot about beforehand, so safety is very important part of meeting someone online and you'll need to create a safe environment to improve your experience and remain secure while doing it.

Online Dating Safety:

Meet in a public place.
Always meet in a public place for your first face-to-face meeting, and be sure to use your own transportation in case you want to bail out early. Avoid secluded areas like parks or beaches. A first meeting can tell you a lot about a person, both good and bad.

Be cautious at first.
Don't give out your own personal information on a first date. Don't let your date know where you live and never accept an offer to be picked up at your own house.

Leave a trail.
Always let a friend, relative or someone else know where and with whom you're going on a first date. You may want to set a time to call and check in or even arrange to meet up with some friends later that very same night as a safety net.

Don't believe everything you hear.
Never assume your date is truthful just because they claim to be on the first date. Watch out for married people claiming to be single, many are not what they claim to be. Do not pursue the relationship if you find your date has lied about their photos or profile.

Trust your instincts.
Listen to your own instincts and if something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. Your instinct is a good way to determine when to move forward with someone and when to back off.

Cool it on the alcohol.
Alcohol can affect your judgment and decrease your inhibitions. Neither effect is exactly great on a first date. If you do drink, keep track of how much and put it away before your judgment is impaired.

Provide your cell phone number.
Give your date your cell phone number instead of your home phone number until you get to know them better.

Use an alternate email account.
Sign up for a free email account that you use just for online dating purposes to prevent someone from researching your normal email address to find out more information about you.

Stay alert.
Look for clues in the behavior of your date to see if they have any questionable characteristics that might signal trouble ahead.

Have fun.
There is no reason you can't be safe and have a ton of fun on your first date too.