Monday, July 9, 2012

Safety Tips For Online Senior Dating


Although there are a huge number of articles and reports aimed at Internet user safety this one is particular about its audience. Many seniors are not as Internet savvy as the younger generations. The baby boomers and up are using technology that they do fully understand and this can sometimes create a wealth of problems that they otherwise would have avoided. We want the “Silver Surfers” to be as safe as possible especially when it comes to using senior online dating sites. Below are five tips that will help you to keep yourself safe and your identity secure.

  1. Only join reputable senior dating sites. There are many free sites online. These sites are notorious for their shady practices. They have many fake profiles and they ask you enough of the important information that allows them to steal your identity without a hitch.

  1. Keep personal information personal. Revealing your real name, age, location and email address is not advisable no matter the sites reputation. Although the paid sites monitor their members for suspicious behavior patterns it is not going to catch all possible online predators.

  1. SSL – if the site you are using does not have that little lock that denotes it is SSL secure then using your credit card is very risky.  Most of the reputable sites have the seal and you will find a statement on the payment page stating that they use encryptions to keep your information safe. It may even be better to use a prepaid card for subscriptions even to the top online senior dating sites.

  1. Even with all of the different checks and balances that many sites use it will also take you using common sense to keep yourself safe. There are things that immediately signal that someone is not quite right in their dealings and these clues should never be dismissed without careful investigation. Let’s look at some of the more obvious signs.
a)      One of the most telling are messages declaring undying love or to her strong feelings from the very start. This person may not be an ax murderer but this is a sign of someone who may be a bit too emotionally needy.
b)     When they grammar and spelling is so bad that you can tell right off that the person is not a native. There are many men and women from other countries that make a habit of convincing lonely seniors to send them money.
c)      Photo looks like it came from a glamour magazine. This is not to say that members can’t be drop dead gorgeous but what are the odds that all the people on one site look above average.
d)     The sob story artist is out there waiting for you. These messages almost always request that you contact them offsite.

  1. Never set up a meeting alone or at your home. Make certain others know where you are going and who with. Get the persons real name before you go out with them.

Online dating services are a great way to get back out there and live. Ju8st remember to do so safely and wisely.

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