How to Be Safe With Online Dating

There are many pitfalls, in the world of online dating and personals, never take a site's claims at face value, a site might boast several thousand members, but on closer inspection many of those members may not have been active in a week, a month, even a year. Many might have signed and never returned.

There is also an increasing market in the world of online dating; where newly created dating sites agree with established sites to swap databases of membership profiles, purely to entice others to join; on joining to their surprise these new members may find that most of the people on the site will possibly never reply to their private message.

There is also an underhand tactic being used on certain sites like Dating Group Company, where women are being recruited to simply keep the men happy, i.e. pretend to be interested in them, and willing to continue to keep the embers burning, when in truth they have no interest, we are being paid to pretend. So beware of that picture that just looks too good to be true, and incidentally is interested in you.

Of course there is always the element of fraud, especially with any newly created dating site, fraudsters target these hoping the individuals are susceptible to their schemes, it usually follows the same pattern, people declaring their undying love for you, or they need your help to move large amounts of money, just make sure you send the remittance via western union, or any other untraceable e-currency. Remember to be safe than sorry, if you do eventually find someone online, always meet in a crowded public place, and never give out personal details to your potential suitor, until you have known them for a good while.

How to Make the Most of Your Free Online Dating Service

With millions of single people trying to find their match over the internet, it is often hard to stand out among the crowd unless of course you have the body of Eva Longoria or Brad Pitt.

And we can't all have Hollywood looks. (This is perhaps why some people resort to editing their photos on Photoshop in order to appear good in their profiles!)

Still, there are ways to make the most out of a free online dating site and make others take notice. The secret is to initiate action and to not just wait for people to view your profile and get to know you. Below are some tips that can help you make the most out of your online dating service account whether it is for free or not.

1. Make a Vavavoom Profile!

Making a profile that is interesting and inviting does not mean that you have to invent some exotic name and out of this world experience. You and your life can be interesting too with just the right words. One advice is to write down things about you that are interesting. Do you have an interesting job or an interesting hobby? Have you gone to places and done things that may seem exciting for other people?

Include it in your profile. As much as you can, veer away from cliché statements that are often seen in profiles in online dating sites. It can be tiring to see the same things written profiles. You can also include some funny stories or anecdotes that can serve as hook to your audience. This will make them remember you more.

Also, make sure that your profile is grammatically correct. Not only will this be an easy read for people but you will also come across as educated and refined.

2. Upload a nice photo

This does not mean that you will be putting photographs of your pretty cousin or your gorgeous brother on your profile. Search through your albums for a photo that you feel shows the best side of you. Often, the best photos are those where the subjects smiles widely. This is inviting for those people who are reading your profile.

Also, make sure that the photo that you upload is clear and distinct. If you are only putting some hazy shot with you meters away from the foreground; might as well leave it blank. Use a photo, which other people can see and study.

If you think you don't have much photo that is worth uploading, enlist the help of your friends and relatives. As much as possible, put a solo shot. If you don't have one, make sure that your caption can identify who you are in a group shot.

3. Break the ice

Using the online dating service like Online Dating Messages does not end in writing a profile and uploading your favorite photo. Try to also search through the hundreds of singles for people who interest you. Once someone catches your eye, let him or her know. This is all done virtually so being rejected is not really as painful; so what the heck take the plunge.

You can try writing a letter that states how you like their profile or what aspect of their site has caught your eye. Put on the letter your name. This makes the letter more personalized and more inviting for the person being sent to.

If you are too shy to actually write a letter, try putting a smiley sign or just plain hi! If the person you sent it to likes your profile, he or she will respond back with a hi. Be as polite as possible as some people who do this come across as potential stalkers such as those that write the words "destined," "Soulmates," or "love."

Online Dating and Honesty is a Key

When you join an online dating service, you will find that a lot of women have misleading photos. Generally, they tend to use a photo that is 5 years old. A lot of men and women too also lie about their age.

Most men are looking for a longer term relationship with a girl that you can like, and you could even come to fall in love. Most girls are looking for a guy that she can like or even love. What you aren't looking for is a girl who would like your best friend or your idea of what the perfect guy looks like or talks like or thinks like. So, in order to find the right girl for you...and she Is out there...you need to be completely honest with yourself about yourself when writing the online profile, during the dating process and beyond.

Sooner or later the girl will find out you have laid about your age or other lies. This destroys trust in the relationship. Close relationships develop over time and they are based on no lies at all.

If you aren't 6'0" with a good six-pack, don't claim to be. If you are a cleaner, don't claim to be a lawyer with a six figure income. If you are 40 going on 50, don't pretend to be 33 something.

The best way to begin writing your profile is to carefully analyze the results from that profile. Did it get a good response or a poor response? Was it like most others men's profile or a bit unusual? What was right about it and what was wrong?

Next, ask a few women friends to take a look at your profile and get some feedback. Most men's profiles are just plain boring. It is good not to be needy or desperate in your profile. Humor is a great way to put your profile above the average.

Also it is good to look at your past relationships and learn from them. What things really made you like the last girl? Which didn't? Don't assume that just because you hated that your last girl was so totally self-involved that she couldn't see anything else, you'll be able to overlook that quality this time. You won't.

Remember, the idea here is to find a girl who will like you exactly like you are. If you have lied in your profile, the first face-to-face meeting will remove all her doubt that you are a liar...and probably a cheat, as well.

Lastly, once you have found a girl that you believe can be the one for you, for goodness sakes, cancel your membership to the online dating service. After all, you know and she knows that online dating services are intended for those who are looking...not those who have found or been found.