For men who would like to learn to attract and pickup women there are training seminars that teach them how. The women are referred to as "targets."

There is a fuzzy line between between a pickup artist and a sincere social encounter with a man you think might be potential match for you. Social interaction between the sexes has undergone many changes in recent years with the advance of a society of pickup artists who test their skills on women across the globe and teach their techniques to others for a price.

So a new product has arisen from this need. The skill of the pickup artist. There are some men who have learned some secrets which at best are basic social skills, and at worst are canned pickup lines. A list of canned pickup lines can be found on searches on the Internet if you would like to entertain yourself. But do these lines really work?

If they do, the woman is probably only slightly amused if amused at all, and they are usually quick to recognize a line when they see one. So why do these techniques or lines appear to work? Most likely because the woman wants to play the game.

If you are a woman you can recognize a trained pickup artist by how they operate. They will not be forthcoming when you ask them direct questions about themselves, like what their real name is or what they do for a living. They are trained and instructed to change the subject back to you or distract you with something else.

If the pickup artist is with a group of fellow pickup artists, they will be watching his moves or even helping to distract anyone who might be in the way of the pickup. His goal is to get your phone number or a kiss, or to get you to make a date, or to leave with him.

He may just be using you to practice his approaching skills in front of his friends, or he may be demonstrating his skill to his students or to his guru or teacher. Be alert for signs of nervousness or overconfidence, hesitancy, or awkward pauses.
A pickup artist in a bar will sometimes approach a target within three seconds of entering.

Another technique is to play "I'm busy but.." and he will say that he has another appointment, or that he can only stay for a minute. He may try to rush you to give him your phone number or email address, so you can "finish your conversation later."

Sometime during the approach, he will touch you somewhere, maybe your arm while he points to something. If the conversation continues he will ask you questions to get you talking about yourself so he can learn as much as possible about you. He is sizing you up. When he leaves, he may have your name and number and you will realize you don't even know his real name or anything about him.

If you are with a group of girls and are approached by a trained pickup artist he may give his attention to one of the women that he is not interested in, to see if the one he wants will compete for his attention.

The easiest way to spot a pickup artist is to ask him personal questions. He will not want be forthcoming with his personal information and if he is, it could be false information. Be very observant of him and find out as much about him as you can. If he is not willing to disclose anything about himself, I would be very wary of him.

Some men who practice canned pickup techniques are simply trying to get better social skills with women but other are just playing the game to see how high they can score and how many women they can sleep with. If you play their game know that it is a game and don't take what they tell you as the truth. Usually it isn't.

This is not to say that all men are pickup artists. If they seem a little too smooth, listen to your instincts. Don't go against your better judgment. Don't be persuaded to give up personal information about yourself unless you know something about the person you are giving it to. They interrogate you in order to find out all they can about you, not always because they are interested in you.

You may even be on film. Some pickup artist groups film approaches and pickup techniques to show at their seminars and on their websites. Smile, you may be on candid camera.

There are secrets to finding the right person for you, and you have to get out of the game if you want to find a serious relationship.

Only play the game if that is what you want to do, but don't be played by the players.