| Online dating can be a very satisfying and | | | | treatment. |
| rewarding experience. The majority of people | | | | If you have met someone online and want to |
| who use dating websites encounter only minor | | | | make sure that the address you have been given |
| irritations, most of which could easily occur within | | | | is valid, why not send flowers or some other |
| any dating scenario - offline aswell as online. | | | | small gift? The initial outlay is small and if it can't |
| In this article I want to help you identify and avoid | | | | be delivered you have your answer. If it can be |
| the various online dating scams that have sprung | | | | delivered, the gift will be well-received by your |
| up to not only deprive you of your money, but | | | | potential partner and will be money well-spent. |
| also your happiness. After all, being scammed or | | | | Anyone seeking to part you from your cash will |
| taken for a ride is a pretty miserable experience. | | | | only use an anonymous payment provider such |
| Scammers can sign up to most dating websites | | | | as Paypal or Western Union. They will never share |
| for free, and because of the anonimity of the | | | | their bank details with you, and under no |
| internet they can post the perfect profile with | | | | circumstances should you share your bank details |
| no-one asking questions or becoming suspicious. | | | | with them. |
| The first thing that you should watch out for is | | | | Another scam to be aware of is someone who |
| people asking for money. This usually takes the | | | | immediately asks for your email address. Once |
| form of women asking men for money, but in | | | | you give out your address you are swamped by |
| any case how do you know that "she" isn't really | | | | spam and never hear from that person again. It is |
| a "he" or vice versa? They have a picture with | | | | very difficult to avoid this scam as email is your |
| their profile that could have been "borrowed" | | | | initail point of contact, but it might be a good idea |
| from anywhere, a profile that could have been | | | | to use an anonymous email account, such as |
| written by anyone - man, women or trained | | | | Hotmail or go.com, until you are confident that the |
| monkey. You communicate by email because | | | | person with whom you are communicating is |
| "she" says that the phone isn't working, or "she" | | | | genuine. |
| gives you a phone number that "she" never | | | | I have outlined a couple of scams that you should |
| answers. "She" is reluctant to give you her | | | | be aware of, but remember that the vast |
| address, or gives you a post office address | | | | majority of people that you meet online will be |
| where "she" can be contacted. | | | | genuine and looking for similar things to you. |
| They talk a lot about themselves and never | | | | There will always be a few who spoil things for |
| answer your questions, probably because they | | | | the rest of us, but this does not mean that we |
| are sending a standard email to dozens of people. | | | | should treat everyone we meet online with |
| They never ask for money straight away. They | | | | suspicion. Caution is all that is required because |
| will form a "relationship" with you first and then | | | | there are always signs to alert us to danger if we |
| ask to "meet" you but they don't have the | | | | know how to identify them. |
| money to travel, or they have a serious medical | | | | This article is free to re-publish. |
| condition but don't have the money to pay for | | | | |