Online dating can be fun but you must not neglect safety & common sense. If the internet is new to you or you have not used it very often then you must firstly protect your computer. You need to have a firewall & an anti-virus protection programme (for example Norton). These will help to protect you from hackers & viruses.

In order to protect yourself you should just let common sense prevail. Always use email only & do not give out your phone number to the first people you speak to you… Develop a relationship by email first. Make sure you use a reputable dating site, ask friends & co-workers of any they have used. At the end of this article is an example of one you can look at & search around without having to pay (you only pay a small fee if interested in contacting someone).

If you then find some one who you like & would like to meet then again be sensible. You need to protect yourself & your family. Remember the person who you’re chatting to or maybe even falling for; may not actually be who they say they are. Even though we all like to think virtually everyone is open & honest there’re people who use other people’s profiles & pictures; they end up being who you want them to be instead of who they are. Do not invite anyone to your home, nor give them your address. If you feel that you have had enough talking on email & maybe on an instant message service & you would like to talk by phone then either ask for their telephone number (this will allow you to decide if & when you call them & it gives you with a genuine point of contact) or if you want to give them your number, a mobile number is better as it’s easier to change if required. If you then want to arrange to meet them please arrange to meet some one public & with lots of people around. It’s always a good idea :idea: to take some one else with you but if this isn’t possible then ALWAYS tell some one else where you’re going & who you’re meeting. Finally if you have children I think it’s better not to involve them initially then no-one gets worried or hurt if the date doesn’t go well & it turns into a one off meeting.

Sometimes perseverance is needed at other times you find the perfect person first time. Good luck, be very careful but enjoy.

Jason Hobbs Runs an Online Dating Agency: Cyberlove Dating http://cyberlove.mylovewebsite.com