Great Tips For A Safe Online Dating Experience

Dating can be scary no matter how or where you meet. Maybe he hasn't shaved in five years. Perhaps, she has a reputation as the Black Widow after never being called back for a second date. Any date is a toss up. Dating is sort of how Forrest Gump described life; it's like a box of chocolates because you never know what you're going to get.

Because of the anonymity of online dating, it can be trickier than conventional dating. Appearances and descriptions can be misleading, and unfortunately in other cases, just downright deceiving. By following a few tips, online daters can successfully experience safe dates and avoid being a guest on one of those "disastrous internet dating" talk shows.

Tip #1: Trust your instincts and use common sense. If this person rubs you the wrong way via email, imagine how he or she will make you feel in person. Don't do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable.

Tip #2: Enjoy your anonymity online. Using your dating service's secure messaging system, you can communicate without giving out personal information until you feel comfortable. The last thing you need is your very own email stalker.

Tip #3: Be Realistic. Even most reality television shows don't have happy endings these days. Just because this person sounds like the perfect fit, it doesn't mean that you should start ordering the wedding invitations just yet. You have to read a book before you can give a real summary. This date might not be your last first date. If it doesn't lead to a second date, move on to the next person on your list.

Tip #4: In case you've been stranded on a deserted island for the past thirty years and fail to realize that unfortunately there are some cruel and sick people in this world, this message needs to be heard. First Dates Should Be in Public! Never ever agree to meet at the other person's place or to pick them up. Also, be sure and let a friend or family member know your plans for the evening. Stay alert on the first date. If you must have an alcoholic beverage, have only one and do not leave your drink unattended.

Tip #5: Try meeting during the day, perhaps on your lunch break. If the date isn't going as planned, you have a perfect reason to cut the outing short.

Tip #6: Red Flags. As in all traffic signs, red means stop. Don't ignore things that leap out at you about the person. These things are warning signs and include such behaviors:

a) Refuses to answer your questions directly. Is the person hiding something?

b) Makes disrespectful comments about others. How will the person describe you?

c) Inconsistent information which doesn't match prior information from profile, chat, emails, and phone calls. Liar! Liar! Pants on Fire.

d) Avoids phone contact. Why? Marriage?

If the fates are kind, then you will only have pleasant dates as a result of your online matching, but just in case, it's always good to be prepared.

Ann Bendis writes about online dating and relationships at http://www.singleattractions.com

In The News:
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/02/talking-about-teen-dating-abuse/%3Fhpcid=1276959344ei=seY1Se-2NozK8AS3-bG2DQusg=AFQjCNGw9ewuDYneDw4WgxByNQ-ulKnDoATalking About Teen bDating/b Abuse/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNew York Times,nbsp;United Statesfont size=-1 class=ima href=/a/fontnbsp;-/font nobr8 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Lisa Belkin Ann and Chris Burke knew nothing about bdating/b violence when their daughter, Lindsay, took up with a man Ann calls “possessive from the start b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Parents-Murdered-Dating-Violence-Victim/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B1C6F51DB-86E7-4A47-A260-9862835E7386%257Dcid=1276959344ei=seY1Se-2NozK8AS3-bG2DQusg=AFQjCNHG0KeQ_GQoRB4rY0Uwodlsamm0nQParents of Murdered bDating/b Violence Victim, Legislators, and b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrMarketWatch/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.ibtimes.com/prnews/20081202/ny-liz-claiborne-made.htmcid=1276959344ei=seY1Se-2NozK8AS3-bG2DQusg=AFQjCNFy0CvAs_jjAip9mRIukVkKmxZ5ZgParents of Murdered bDating/b Violence Victim, Legislators, and b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrInternational Business Times/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20081202-NEWS-812020362cid=1276959344ei=seY1Se-2NozK8AS3-bG2DQusg=AFQjCNGZEuBMsMlsww1Md6qsxuF1PfeULwEnding teens#39; #39;silent threat#39;/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrPortsmouth Herald News/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1276959344hl=ennobrall 10 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.counton2.com/cbd/news/national/article/top_senator_reacts_to_obama_plan/17218/cid=1276590617ei=seY1Se-2NozK8AS3-bG2DQusg=AFQjCNEw5hqf82__T5jQE1SlNq8i9Wwqdgimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=4FyISMmlUDYJimgurl=media.counton2.com/wcbd/img-story/images/uploads/RECESSION_WATCH.jpg width=80 height=60 alt= border=1brfont size=-2WCBD/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2008/12/01/recession-dating-when-in-doubt-wait-for-a-crisis/cid=1276590617ei=seY1Se-2NozK8AS3-bG2DQusg=AFQjCNHsyHnVYoL8lUKcMSF8gddoFzIM_QRecession bDating/b: When in Doubt, Wait for a Crisis/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWall Street Journal Blogs,nbsp;NYfont size=-1 class=ima href=/a/fontnbsp;-/font nobrDec 1, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1(The highly subjective nature of the call may be one reason the government never got involved in recession bdating/b or even selected a group — the NBER or b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3Du0rgGIeUbhMcid=1276590617ei=seY1Se-2NozK8AS3-bG2DQusg=AFQjCNGrTvCVN3t0b_LEwtrSwrNSHKrUiwVideo: Money Minute: Recession, Paulson, Oil/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrAssociatedPress/nobr/fontobject width=448 height=356param name=movie value=http://www.youtube.com/v/u0rgGIeUbhM/paramparam name=wmode value=transparent/paramembed src=http://www.youtube.com/v/u0rgGIeUbhMtype=application/x-shockwave-flashwmode=transparentwidth=448height=356/embed/objectbr/fontfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.rgemonitor.com/financemarkets-monitor/254635/recession_dating_some_people_are_going_to_be_surprisedcid=1276590617ei=seY1Se-2NozK8AS3-bG2DQusg=AFQjCNGJ3USbkBN1TPdgVApZ1fOBucIoTwRecession bDating/b: Some People Are Going to Be Surprised/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrRGE Monitor/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/no-surprise-us-officially-recession/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257BFB24B86D-7611-4783-955C-7482CA23FD99%257Dcid=1276590617ei=seY1Se-2NozK8AS3-bG2DQusg=AFQjCNFkM_nTNJAMHy7N-yRrCersnTUMzgCommentary: What this economic downturn is likely to hold for the US/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrMarketWatch/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/01/AR2008120101365.html%3Fhpid%3Dtopnewscid=1276590617ei=seY1Se-2NozK8AS3-bG2DQusg=AFQjCNG-3TK_0GDy_RFfdqbNGuFCNCJjkAnobrWashington Post/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2008/12/01/daily13.htmlcid=1276590617ei=seY1Se-2NozK8AS3-bG2DQusg=AFQjCNEaMlDUVnFSFbhCWHgRfjaYoxOBzAnobrBizjournals.com/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1276590617hl=ennobrall 992 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://blog.beliefnet.com/gospelsoundcheck/2008/12/joe-jonas-taylor-swift-camilla.htmlcid=1276925221ei=seY1Se-2NozK8AS3-bG2DQusg=AFQjCNFokGBXIs6wQ-wdcKF1Lk858lymyAimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=IrFRVd6LeIEJimgurl=blog.beliefnet.com/gospelsoundcheck/TaylorSwiftJoeJonas.jpg width=80 height=62 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Beliefnet.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.yourtango.com/20087209/are-robert-pattinson-and-camilla-belle-datingcid=1276925221ei=seY1Se-2NozK8AS3-bG2DQusg=AFQjCNFzOgUzEfvjiTvS36lJqE2tWRdWDQAre Robert Pattinson and Camilla Belle bDating/b?/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTango,nbsp;NYfont size=-1 class=ima href=/a/fontnbsp;-/font nobr7 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1by Nicole Perri Socialite Life is EXCLUSIVELY (their caps, not ours) reporting that Camilla Belle and Robert Pattinson have been spotted on the street b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://blog.beliefnet.com/gospelsoundcheck/2008/12/joe-jonas-taylor-swift-camilla.htmlcid=1276925221ei=seY1Se-2NozK8AS3-bG2DQusg=AFQjCNFokGBXIs6wQ-wdcKF1Lk858lymyAJoe Jonas, Taylor Swift, Camilla Belle and the mixed message of b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBeliefnet.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://justjared.buzznet.com/2008/12/02/robert-pattinson-camilla-belle-laughing/cid=1276925221ei=seY1Se-2NozK8AS3-bG2DQusg=AFQjCNGjphgWBim0cImYPsAuLE3tIHdepgRobert Pattinson amp; Camilla Belle: Bakery Buddies!/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrJust Jared/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1276925221hl=ennobrall 3 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://centralillinoisproud.com/content/fulltext/%3Fcid%3D34861cid=1276749848ei=seY1Se-2NozK8AS3-bG2DQusg=AFQjCNFXYDADzh3WS77_4rBoXL2ZDRNR8gLiving and bDating/b With Aids/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fCentral Illinois Proud,nbsp;ILfont size=-1 class=ima href=/a/fontnbsp;-/font nobrDec 1, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1When the virus was first discovered, bdating/b someone with aids was considered the kiss of death. But, a woman who wants to be called Kathy, says she#39;s living b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.the-stories.com/parking.php%3Fses%3DcHh5X3Q9MjU0JnN0YXJ0PTEmYWRkX2M9MDg2OWE2NDZmNGZhMWU0NmEyZmNkY2M1ZjQ1ZTZjOWUmcmxfdG9rZW49MiZ0Y2lkPWVla1dyTVk0OTM0ZTBlMzAzMDdjJnRhc2s9c2VhcmNoJmRvbWFpbj10aGUtc3Rvcmllcy5jb20mcz02MDU1NGMzMzY3M2FiOTdhZGMxMyZjb25mX2lkPTAmbGFuZ3VhZ2U9ZW4mYV9pZD0zJmU9MA%3D%3D%26domain%3Dthe-stories.com%26category%3DDating%26keyword%3DGay%2Bdating%26token%3D%26sub%3D9%26pos%3D3cid=1276846791ei=seY1Se-2NozK8AS3-bG2DQusg=AFQjCNEyJfarFeT8zGq7Mqk3WVrcoGPvgwGay bDating/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTheStorygroup.com,nbsp;GAfont size=-1 class=ima href=/a/fontnbsp;-/font nobr18 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Great Gay bDating/b! Worth seeing! Check The Site For Gay bDating/b To Find Out More. Meet girls online and check their pictures from our site! b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.gastronomie.com/parking.php%3Fses%3DcHh5X3Q9MjU0JnN0YXJ0PTEmYWRkX2M9NzNkZTA5OWRhNDJiMmZkZDAyZWZlM2U5YWMwOTFkMTMmcmxfdG9rZW49MSZ0Y2lkPXRROHBMVVk0OTM1MmFlOTQxNGNiJnRhc2s9c2VhcmNoJmRvbWFpbj1nYXN0cm9ub21pZS5jb20mcz05ZjBiZDU0YTFiMzZhYzcwNTIyNCZsYW5ndWFnZT1lbiZhX2lkPTIma2V5d29yZD1HYXkrRGF0aW5nJnBvcz0z%26domain%3Dgastronomie.com%26sub%3D1%26token%3Dcid=1276846791ei=seY1Se-2NozK8AS3-bG2DQusg=AFQjCNFyU-VjebdH465R38njM9a4mc4RmwGay bDating/b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrGastronomie.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1276846791hl=ennobrall 2 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Mary-Kay-Inc-Joins-With/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B7C456A07-8A8B-44BE-9F1A-5C9C35D96646%257Dcid=1276851295ei=seY1Se-2NozK8AS3-bG2DQusg=AFQjCNHUndvLlL30-0_BQPJTrch1pDGNoQMary Kay Inc. Joins With Amanda Bynes and Break the Cycle in b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchfont size=-1 class=ima href=/a/fontnbsp;-/font nobr13 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1DALLAS, Dec 02, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Bynes joins Mary Kay Inc. to kick-off national online petition to put teen bdating/b violence prevention b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://culture11.com/blogs/ladyblog/2008/12/02/best-dating-advice-for-men/cid=1276933744ei=seY1Se-2NozK8AS3-bG2DQusg=AFQjCNG-zm4bP7JIqhMzO2XflMKrRMejHgBest bDating/b Advice for Men/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fCulture11,nbsp;VAfont size=-1 class=ima href=/a/fontnbsp;-/font nobr8 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Marianne Brennan The fourth-grader from Castle Rock, Colo., advises Lothario wannabes to stop showing off, go easy on the compliments to avoid looking b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.northfieldnews.com/news.php%3FviewStory%3D46715cid=0ei=seY1Se-2NozK8AS3-bG2DQusg=AFQjCNFrpBQpwG5pk1VWRZpeoMAZwDEHRwimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=1bO5bfC8w3kJimgurl=www.northfieldnews.com/files/image/article/full_46715.jpg width=80 height=42 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Northfield News (subscription)/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.northfieldnews.com/news.php%3FviewStory%3D46715cid=0ei=seY1Se-2NozK8AS3-bG2DQusg=AFQjCNFrpBQpwG5pk1VWRZpeoMAZwDEHRwDefining bdating/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNorthfield News (subscription),nbsp;MNfont size=-1 class=ima href=/a/fontnbsp;-/font nobr8 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Health class students were assigned to discuss the topic of bdating/b with their parents. We parents were asked to define our expectations for bdating/b: b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.mercurynews.com/centralcoast/ci_11111418cid=1276448622ei=seY1Se-2NozK8AS3-bG2DQusg=AFQjCNFMLUl45PVWzWRdcXkU4W9YCYBq6QOffra Gerstein, Relationship Matters: Overcoming the bdating/b jitters/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSan Jose Mercury News,nbsp; USAfont size=-1 class=ima href=/a/fontnbsp;-/font nobrDec 1, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Teenagers do it, adults do it and even older folks do it, yet at any age bdating/b is viewed with hesitation, reservations and even fear. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx%3FarticleId%3D420650cid=0ei=seY1Se-2NozK8AS3-bG2DQusg=AFQjCNHawfC-UqugCz2FMMd4pRYvwX40lwbDating/b 101: The Joys of Singlehood in the Holiday Season/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fPhilippine Star,nbsp;Philippinesfont size=-1 class=ima href=/a/fontnbsp;-/font nobr9 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By bDating/b expert Lisa Steadman Updated December 03, 2008 12:00 AM As the saying goes, ’tis the season to be jolly. But for some, being single during the b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
dating - Google News

How To Land The Catch Of Your Life Without Becoming Sharkbait

However you like to do it, dating is a dangerous... Read More

Dating Rules - Dress Nicely

Wear good clothes, e.g. a good shirt and a tie.... Read More

Googling for Love

Google: (GOO.gul) v. To use an Internet search engine such... Read More

Donald Trump and the Apprentice Rules Applied to Dating

I was reading an article about the Apprentice and some... Read More

How to Impress a Woman

The feeling that you need to impress a woman usually... Read More

Dating Online ? Can Be Less Stressful

Dating is a challenge at any age and for both... Read More

10 Tips for Succeding in Dating!

Generally the most important step when dating someone is the... Read More

Friday Night Fitness Dates

Close your eyes and imagine this romantic setting: an intimate... Read More

Internet Dating for Men

Over the past several years online dating has become very... Read More

Dating Tips: Share a Little More Personal on Yourself

Have you been dating for a long time but felt... Read More

10 Keys to Getting Along With Single Women For Successful Dating, Seduction

1. When with a woman on a date, under no... Read More

How to Flirt and Never Get Rejected!

When it comes to flirting, you can get your point... Read More

Dating Advice: Common Interest Results in Happy Marriages

How often do your married friends complain about husbands who... Read More

Ways to Say I Love You in Another Language

Have you been looking for romantic and provocative ways to... Read More

How To Have Sex On A First Date

Guys have all different motives for trying to be successful... Read More

Do Men Want Classy Women?

Ladies, this one is for you. Your mother always told... Read More

The Joy Of Dating Again: Self-Empowering Keys

For some, the idea of dating again can be intimidating... Read More

Things To Avoid At Your First Date

Finally, after a year of mending a broken heart, you... Read More

Asian Dating - Respect and Honour

Honour and respect are two of the most important elements... Read More

Christ-Centered Life on Dating

In a contemporary Christian world, there is a hidden reality... Read More

Dating Rules You Cant Afford to Break

If you are single and you want men to desire... Read More

How to Make Women Want You

You don't need a guitar, rock-hard abs, or even a... Read More

Finding Compatible E-Dates

In the world of online dating misrepresentation is at an... Read More

Relationship Room

Just recently, I felt ready to experience change in a... Read More

Christian Singles and Meet Christian Singles

Christian singles are plentiful no matter what age you are... Read More