Safety Precautions To Take When Using An Online Dating Application

The number of people using online dating apps and websites is increasing rapidly day by day. According to Pew Research, an increasing number of people use dating apps with the mindset of meeting their true love or soul mate.

Harry Reis, Professor of Psychology and Dean’s Professor in Arts, Sciences, and Engineering at the University of Rochester says, “Online dating is not for people easily discouraged or soft-hearted people”.

As the saying goes, “Before you meet a handsome Prince, you’ve got to kiss a lot of toads“. This quote applies to Online dating in my view. In online dating, before you will meet the special someone, there are few fakes you will meet.

If you have it in mind to use an Online Dating App, below are guidelines to follow to keep you away from swallowing a lot of toads.

Suspicious Account Holders Actions/Behaviours

• Financial Assistance – When a mate you just met a few days ago starts to seek for financial assistance in any way, mostly because of a sudden personal crisis, be on alert.
• Vague answers to specific questions
• Claims of being in abroad but currently working, living and traveling abroad
• Excessive use of romantic and complementing on you in communication too early.
• Requests your home address or work address in the pretense of sending you gifts.

How To Stay Safe Using Online Dating Apps

• Don’t Connect With Suspicious Accounts – Before connecting with people, make sure to check their bio, social media accounts, if mutual friends are connected, profile pictures. If you realize the person has only 1 picture and different pictures all together, be suspicious. At least the profile picture should correspond to the numerous pictures available.
• Confirm An Account Before Sharing Personal Information – Never share your personal information including, Social Security Number, Credit Card Details, Bank account, Home address, and other personal stuff.
• Reject Requests For Financial Help – No matter how convincing, moving, and sad words from someone maybe, never badge into offering financial help in online Dating Sites.
• Video Chat Before Metting Someone – Video chatting before meeting someone you met online is very important. It makes you see the person virtually to identify him/her when you meet physically.
• Schedule Meetings In Public Places – When there is the need to meet physically, always choose public places as it safer there.
• Tell A Friend Where You Are Going – Never hesitate to tell a friend or someone closer to you where you are going. If things don’t go well, at least someone may know your whereabouts.
• Background Checking – Before accepting to go on a date, do an excessive background check. Check all social media platforms if you can see the relevance of the person.

Risks Involved In Online Dating

1. Verbal Harassment – Many people with different characters are users of Online applications and websites. Some people intend to harass people verbally on the platform.
2. Emotional abuse – More people have it in mind that, so far as it is about dating, everybody available on the platform seeks a relationship. With this in mind, people take advantage to emotionally abuse others.
3. Fraud – When people realize you are wealthy on the platform, they create stories about an unfortunate incident that has happened to them to extort money.
4. Spam – synonymous with fraud.
5. Phishing – Unwanted emails sent by people using popular dating sites name in return for you to divulge personal information.

If you realize any suspicious account with fake details or another motive mentioned above, instantly report the account or block it.

Conclusion

With the interest in Online applications and websites increasing day by day, I have put together safety precautions to consider when using online applications. Follow the guidelines provided and play it safe on the system.