Post-valentine's day tip for secure online dating

If you felt left out of the loved-up feeling this Valentine's, you may be considering online dating. Dating websites "start to see an increase in activity [...] that builds up to Valentine's day" says Karl Gregory, managing director of match.com (UK & Ireland). It's a great way to meet new people, but you shouldn't be too hasty to make up for your disappointing Valentine's day. It is a season that causes people to reflect on their relationship status, leading many to look for new ways to meet people. But do make sure you're aware of the risks involved with online dating. As with all online activity, you need to be clued-up to avoid the dangers lurking around on the internet. So let your head rule your heart until you're sure someone is really who they say they are.

Source: julieblair.com

There's no reason why online dating should make you anxious, and you definitely shouldn't let potential scammers getting in the way of you meeting the future love of your life. In the states this year, the FBI issued a warning on Valentine's day scams. Many perpetrators wait until a potential victim is feeling vulnerable, and then they make their move. This is why it is important to ensure that you don't make yourself an easy target. Don't let this put you off though, dating websites are a huge contributor to marriage statistics nowadays, and with people having less time on their hands, it's a very convenient way to meet new people.

Be that as it may, it doesn't hurt to use a little common sense and to exercise caution when you enter the online dating arena. There are lots of bad experiences out there; from the obscure and uncomfortable stories to downright horror stories. There are people who have sat through awkward dates, and the rare cases of people whose life was at risk. Some of the worst dangers posed, however, are to your online safety. When people share too much personal information, or use dating websites that don't use the most secure safety measures, you're at risk of phishing scams and identity theft. So how can you protect yourself in the virtual dating world?

Source: advice.chnlove.com

Stay anonymous 

• Make your account specifically for your online dating profile, without using information associated with other networks and profiles. If you happen to post a photo that is associated with any other social network, it is possible for anyone who has access to your online dating account to image search with that photo, and access other accounts you may have.
• Don't give out personal information (phone number, address, last name or financial information) until you have met with someone a few times and you can trust them.

Make your account hard to hack

• Use a side profile, unclear or partial profile photo, so that people cannot hack in to your accounts. This can lead to identity theft online.
• Reverse image search your profile picture (eg. on Google), so that you can check if it has been stolen and, furthermore, see if it is being used elsewhere.
• Use the dating website messaging app to communicate; it may cost money, but at least it will safeguard your information.

Source: english.hig.no

Background check your dating website 

• Before you settle for a dating website, make sure you know exactly how they operate. Make sure that they value safety, and that they are reputable and reliable. 
• If you are really safety-conscious, you can even find some websites that conduct criminal background screenings.
• Dating profiles (including photos) can remain online after the account has been deleted. Because many people choose to return to online dating, the site holds on to the information. Make sure you check the sites privacy policy before signing up, especially; how data with deleted accounts is treated and how the site informs members of changes to its privacy policy.
• Many of the sites offload photographs uploaded (and deleted from profiles) to Content Delivery Networks.
• Many dating websites use http secure 'https' for secure connections to their site. Some, however, only use this at log in, and then the website returns to standard http communications, meaning that your session may be exposed on the web.
• Some dating sites make profiles public by default, which subsequently means that they can be indexed by Google.

Keep your computer safe

• Install privacy software, it doesn't even break the bank. There are loads of free apps that you can install to protect your computer (eg. AVG PrivacyFix). With this, you can manage your privacy settings from one point, making the whole experience less stressful. 

Don't be an easy target

Scammers succeed when people are susceptible to their online charms, because the victims are more likely to respond to their romantic gestures (sending flowers or cute messages):

• Make sure the person you're communicating with isn't just phishing for love, and keep on top of the latest scams (these will often be reported on your dating website). 
• Be aware of people asking for money (i.e. medical expenses; airline tickets; help to get money out of their countries). This is often the case for long-distance scams, when you happen to meet someone 'charming' from another country.
• Be aware of webcam blackmail; there have been cases of people earning a victims trust, recording things they may do on webcam, and then using the recording to extort money.
• Trust your gut instinct, if you don't feel comfortable then back away and end communication.

Source: agoracosmopolitan.com

Be sensible offline

• If you've hit it off with someone, and you're meeting up in the outside world, then you still need to be careful.
• Let people know where you are going, at what time, and for how long.
• If you are really unsure, then you can ask someone else to come along with you the first time.
• Meet them in public, and use your own transport. You never know if you'll want to escape!
• If you're not comfortable with the person, and you are worried about your safety, then you can always ask someone to escort you to your car.

Protect your loved ones

• Do not reveal too much information about your family and children.
• Even more importantly, do not put pictures of your children on a dating website. This can threaten their safety and exposes them to potential online predators.

At the end of the day, just remember that any data you provide online is permanent. You should be 100% happy with something before you add it to the online world. 

Charlotte Callaghan

Charlotte is a trainee journalist, who loves writing about anything and everything. Currently an intern at Social Media Frontiers, you can follow her @charlotteatsmf and @CharlotteR_4

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