Meeting someone for the first time is surely an emotion with full of excitement, but what is on the other side of the excitement is fear which is always there in our head when we step out from our screen. Dating someone online can be as scary as meeting a stranger for the first time. According to the study done by National Cellular Directory of US states that 66 % of the online daters have seen at least one fake dating profile online. 84% of online daters verify a person’s profile before going on a date with them. 51% of online daters verify a user’s profile using People Search or Background check website.88% of online dater’s feel safer going on a date after they verify the dating profile. 43% of people do not trust the Online Dating Profile Name. In the recent research by the Pew Research states that 51 % of the youth believes that online dating is safe and 49 % remaining consider this as a trap.
We live in the time of fake facades what is on the other side of the screen no one has a single idea. Today anyone can fake anything online even in real life. Then when it comes to online dating fake people are there too.
As every coin has two sides we need to believe that there is always going to be some pros and cons in life whichever thing you take. So as an individual rather than arguing which is better and which is worse we need to look out for the better solutions. What are the measures we can take to tackle this? How can we avoid the risk of not falling into the frauds? What are the following parameters we must consider while online dating and meeting the stranger?
Some of the best measures to consider to stay safe during dating online are as follow:
1: Quick Research: We live in the age of digitization, here we can find anyone and find anything related to them. Nothing is hidden from the god of web. So when you find someone through online dating don’t hesitate to search their information on google. “Search by Image “on google is one of the coolest thing that ever exist, one can search any data related to that person. Else there is Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc. many social media handle one can easily gather information.
2: Deep Verification: Sometimes everything can be fabricated right from name to address and google and social media platforms are not enough to find information. What can we do further? It may sound like a Sherlock Homes but you can dig a little more about someone by investigation. One can search for the address or people who are connected to your online dating partner. You can verify their information through some cross questioning.
3: Do not be afraid: Most of the time especially women feel hesitation to take a step but hang on there is no need to be afraid of anything. All you have to do is not to reveal too much information about yourself on the profile. Only keep available that information which is needed such as name, age, gender etc. No need to give location, address in the bio. First we have to take that fear from mind. Yes it might be risky but with the good precautions we can avoid the risk as well.
4: Talk with someone: No matter how many secret you hold but sometimes you have to share about your online dating with someone. It may depend on the person itself if they want to share or not. But the therapist suggest that when there is something which is bound to have some amount of risk one must share with someone and that someone can be anyone such as best friend , parents , siblings , cousin etc.
You don’t have to share every information but one must share to whom they are dating online his/her name and other belonging.
5: Self Defense: This is the most important thing to consider, self-defense whether you meet someone online or either you meet on person. Everyone especially women must be aware of this. If you are dating online in defense you must not share such things that can be used against you as blackmail. If you are going to meet the date in person then one must carry safety measures with them.
6: Meeting stranger for the first time: If you have decided to meet your online date then you should carry some probes with yourself which can be used as safety tool (pepper spray or pocket knife) in case of emergency. Its okay to go on a date alone but it is advised to go with your close friend you may not have to seat on one dating table your close friend can be at a safer distance from you and your online spouse.
7: Date in Public Spot: To do anything that is harmful it is difficult to do in the eyes of many people, hence while meeting your online date always prefer to choose a location which is nearby and open. When we are about to meet the stranger it is important to up to our safety. Trust is the later part but self-defense should be priority. It is also advised by the therapists that frauds always choose location which is far away from the partner relative. Always prefer for a less populated location, so it is easy for look out on such fraud people.
8: Drive yourself to and from Your Date, Or Take Public Transportation: Sometimes it is okay not to have long drive on your first date you can always have that later on. It is important to know that your online date doesn’t need to drop you till your home. The most important fact here is unless and until one is sure regarding their partner never reveal where do you live. It is totally fine to reveal I which city you are living, but never reveal exact address, because the stalker and fraud are everywhere. Always prefer public transportation.
Online dating may sound fun and adventure but everything has two sides. Everything has some advantages and disadvantages same goes with the online dating, to go with it or not it can be personal choice but to take enough measures for our safety is important. Even if you don’t follow such advice but never let your date walk you home. It is kind of annoying but it is always better to be than sorry.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Benjamin Franklin.
Sources:
10 Tips to Help You Stay Safe when online dating - eHarmony Dating Advice Site
How to stay safe As a Woman during Online Dating - Women Fit
How to Stay Safe While Dating - Women’s Safety, First Date, and Dating Tips - AARP...
11 Tips For Safe Online Dating, Straight From An Expert (bustle.com)