Online dating has done wonders for our love lives. You can meet people that you would never have had the chance to meet before and really thrive in the dating game.

Relationships on Female First

Relationships on Female First

Unfortunately, the online dating world can be dangerous and we need to protect ourselves from emotional damage as well as more extreme casualties.

Here are some tips to keep you safe online.

Research

There are hundreds of dating sites out there so make sure you do your research before you commit to one.

Take to Google and see what people have to say about one that has caught your eye. If you have friend who use dating sites then ask them for their opinions.

Once you've decided upon one, get in touch with their customer services team so they can give you more information and iron out any questions you might have for them. You can never do too much research!

Information

It sounds so painfully obvious but so many people fall flat at this hurdle. Never give away personal information online.

Details such as an address and bank details should remain private. If someone asks you for them then terminate the conversation permanently and inform the site's administrators.

Even details such as your phone number and where you work should be held back. Once they're out there it's impossible to get them off the web so keep your personal things personal.

Photos

Never send photos or videos to someone you don't know over the internet. If they betray your trust and put them online there is nothing you can do about it.

There have been cases where women have sent men sexy pictures, only to find them on escort sites later that afternoon.

You'll have a picture on your dating profile, if they ask you for any more explain that you would rather wait until you meet and get to know each other better.

If they're asking for naughty pictures or videos then they're probably not worth getting to know anyway!

Meeting

If you're at the stage where you feel like you're ready to meet someone then make sure you're doing it right.

Don't give them your phone number before the first meeting. Agree to meet in a public place at a specific time.

If they don't show then you know they're not interested and you've nothing gained but nothing lost.

Meet in a public place at a busy time of day and if you're unsure then take a friend with you to at least see you get there safely.

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