Learn More About Online Dating
If you’ve discovered that it’s hard for you to find dates, it might be worth it to try online dating. Much of this option’s old stigma is gone, and there are plenty of ways for you to meet the perfect person online.
Options for Every Relationship
One of the things you’ll quickly discover about online dating is that the options available are pretty incredible. The internet has allowed people to find amazing communities and build brand new ones. And nothing has shown that more succinctly than the ever-expanding variety of dating websites and apps geared toward very specific subsections of people.
That can be especially great if you’ve always had a tough time finding people like you. Do you want to date other people from your own religion? Are you interested in dating people who share your interest in science fiction? Do you want to be able to talk to your significant other in your native language? There’s an online dating site for any of these.
In-Depth or Surface-Level
When you decide to start with online dating, you have the ability to choose how casual or deep you want your next relationship to be; different sites tend to gear themselves specifically toward their users’ romantic goals. When you use a site that specifically defines what you’re looking for in your next relationship, you don’t have to worry about whether you’ll run into any awkward conversations a few months down the line.
Apps and online dating sites really run the gamut here. Some sites specifically reach out to those who only want whirlwind romances or one-night stands; some have an in with college kids who aren’t quite sure what they want; some help people who have their eyes set on marriage. You really just have to do some online searches to find the right one.
Meeting Up In-Person
The concept of meeting up in-person makes some people uncertain about online dating. The good news for you is that it’s really not as scary as it may seem. After all, online dating is basically just a way to get your foot in the door; dating tends to progress pretty normally once the two of you have already met in-person.
You do get to decide when you want to meet in-person, though. If you want to take things slow, just use a site dedicated to that or mention it on your profile. Same if you really want to meet up with someone a couple of days after you meet on the site. There’s no right or wrong when it comes to how you decide to date online.
Can Online Dating Be Dangerous?
Although many people use online dating, and a significant portion of the population has even found permanent partners through dating apps and online dating, that doesn’t mean everyone’s intentions are honorable. You should always be on the lookout for these online dating scams.
Catfishing
Catfishing is probably the most iconic of all online dating scams. Ever since MTV’s show “Catfish” popularized the term, it’s become part of the public lexicon. If you don’t know what catfishing is, it describes when an individual creates a fake profile on a dating app or online dating website to manipulate others into a relationship.
Catfish do this for a number of different reasons, from just entertainment to self-focused insecurities to revenge. But the most popular reason is a traditional scammer reason — they’re just trying to get your money. If you get a strange feeling about someone on a dating website, you might want to perform a people search and see if you can find something deeper happening.
Romance Scams
This type of online dating scam inherently preys on your emotions and your desire for a true romance. As the name would suggest, a romance scam maintains much more of the “butterflies in your stomach” idea. However, it’s still a scam. The end goal here is always to take your money or get your personal information.
If you’re a romantic, make sure you stay on the lookout for this one. Romance scams can be very difficult to get out of because the individuals running these scams are very good at human manipulation. Don’t underestimate the level of skill here. If you feel like there’s something wrong, take a step back and get some more information.
Dangerous Individuals
True, scammers and catfish bring their own kind of danger, but actual physical danger is an entirely different story. Though some people worry about the possibility of being physically injured by an online date, it’s important to remember that it rarely happens, no more than it would with any other form of dating. Still, you should take precautions just like you would with any other in-person meetup — no matter how long you’ve known the person online, you want to stay prepared.
For at least the first few dates, as you get to know each other on a friendly level, you might want to avoid giving your date your home address. Drive yourself to the destination and meet up together. As you get to know the person a little bit better, you can judge whether you feel comfortable enough to offer more private information about yourself.
How Do I Avoid Online Dating Scams?
When it comes to online dating scams, take heart. Even if you’re not very well-versed in the world of online dating, you can avoid scams with just a few steps and some common sense.
Stay a Little Skeptical
You don’t have to be overly suspicious of every person you meet on a dating website, but you also don’t have to implicitly trust people with no evidence. Online dating is sort of like the middle ground between blind dating and traditional dating. You get a little bit of conversation before setting up a date, but you’re still essentially strangers for a while.
To bridge that gap, you may want to use PeopleFinders. With PeopleFinders, you don’t have to just take your potential dates at their words. You can perform a people search and immediately get more information about each person. It’s also so quick and easy that you can perform one for each person you’re interested in...even if that’s a lot of people!
Check Your Dates
Anytime you think you might actually find interest in someone, it’s a good idea to verify their identity and ensure they’re safe to be around. PeopleFinders can help you out with both of those. The public records search tools are perfect if you want to verify the person is telling the truth — just look around using the person’s name and location and match these records up.
When it comes to making sure that your dates are safe, PeopleFinders still has your back. Take that same information you have and use it to perform a criminal records search. You’ll see information you can use to determine whether you should keep going or call it off.
Use the Tools Available to You
With PeopleFinders, you can keep yourself safe in a variety of different ways. From an address lookup to try and keep an eye on neighborhood crime to a people search that can help you build a family tree, PeopleFinders offers tools that you can use in all sorts of different situations.
Whether you want to keep yourself safe, learn more about the people around you or both, make sure you’re using our site to its fullest. Every time you start thinking about whether or not you’re safe, just pull out your trusty tools from PeopleFinders to make sure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can peoplefinders.com help with online dating?
When you want to be safe with online dating, PeopleFinders may help you find out a date's public records information. Some of this information may make you think twice about meeting the person.
Can I do online dating research for free on peoplefinders.com?
You can make sure a person's name matches up with their actual identity. But for more in-depth information, you will need to pay to access it.
How can I do research on online dating on the web?
Find out more about how to use online dating--and be safe in the process--by reading the various guidelines and tutorials on online dating sites. You can also find online dating tips on the PeopleFinders blog.
How do public records help with safe online dating?
Public records can give you information about a person you don't know very well. This information can include risk factors, like criminal records or sex offender status.
Where else can I go to get information about online dating?
Talk to your friends about their online dating experiences, and see if they have any helpful tips.