Online Dating Personals: Safety Tips
Online Dating Tips | AdultFriendFinder is committed to your safety. Please read these important tips and use caution when dating or meeting new people. If you are ever contacted by a member who seems suspicious, who resembles a scammer or a spammer, or who makes you uneasy about your safety with their questions or behavior, please remember to contact our abuse team. We want AdultFriendFinder to be a safe and trusted community and we will act quickly to investigate and remove members who abuse our terms of service or jeopardize member safety. Here are some important safety tips for you to remember: |
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Online Dating TipsSelect a handle that will attract the kind of person you are interested in meeting.
Under any circumstances, never, ever give out personal information. This may be the most important thing for you to remember. Your personal information includes your real name, telephone number, personal email or home address. If they want to send something to you through the mail, get a post office box. They're not expensive! Use precautions when using the telephone.
Do not share the name of your small town, use the nearest big city instead. You haven't told the other person your name, phone number or any other personal information. But, you've told them all about living in Anytown, USA, with a population of only 1,102. Even this small bit of information could assist someone in discovering your identity and where you live and/or work. Stick with telling them that you live near a big city in the same area. Post a current picture. This may not exactly be a safety issue - but more of an honesty issue. Be honest and post a current photo even if you've gained a few pounds! Even if you do not have a scanner, there are a variety of cheap and easy ways to get a photo scanned. Be wary of members who misrepresent their appearance. Be aware that your real-world activities might be recorded. Some unscrupulous people have captured audio or video and used it to blackmail would-be dates. Be aware that your consensual activities might be recorded and take precautions. By using a site that you choose for the meeting, you can ensure that no recording is pre-arranged. You should report any member that is recording a date to the abuse team as a possible scammer. If they try to extort money, you should report them to the police as well. Ask Questions. Feel free to scrutinize the emails and chat sessions you have with another person. If they seem too good to be true, they probably are. If they are vague about their life, try to non-intrusively get some details. Red flags are: people who are vague, talk in circles, or answer questions with questions. Be very cautious with these types of people. They may be playing hard to get, or they may not be on the level. Are they hiding something? If the other person can only meet and chat with you in the middle of the night, they may have a secret. If you call them and they talk in a hushed voice or "have to go" all of a sudden, they may not be as single as they claim. If you call at a non-designated time and they get angry, feel free to assume that they are hiding something from you. Instant love may not be what it seems. While you may feel an instant connection or powerful attraction to a person online, this does not qualify as "falling in love." But scammers and con artists have used the "I'm in love with you" angle offline for countless years. What's stopping them from going online to make their next score? Love takes time no matter what the fairy tales imply. Anyone who, after minimal online contact, expresses their "undying love" should indicate a red flag to you. Other hints may include, that shortly after professing love to you, they also mention being broke and getting laid off from work, or how their accountant took off with all their money. While the other person may just be a lonely soul who's truly attracted to you, you can never be sure. Slow things down and don't let "love" rob you blind. |
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Ways to increase your safety
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Going Offline for a Meeting...Safety First
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Extra Tips for Meeting a Long Distance InterestBe sure to use all of the tips mentioned above, plus the following tips, if you plan to travel to meet your online interest:
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