Top 10 Dos and Don’ts of Successful Online Dating
On Anderson's "Dating for Dollars" show, Relationship Expert Dr. Michelle Callahan shares her top tips for online dating safely.
Now, as mentioned on the show, Dr. Michelle Callahan shares her recommendations finding love online -- and how to make it work.
Take a look at her Top 10 Dos and Don'ts of Successful Online Dating...
Top 10 Dos and Don'ts of Successful Online Dating
#1 Do Build an Honest Dating Profile
No one likes a bait-and-switch, so please be honest about who you are and what you like. It doesn't help you to use old photos or pretend to be into things that you're not, because your date will eventually find out. If you're really looking for a compatible match, you're looking for someone who likes the real you. So use current photos and be honest about who you are and what you are looking for a relationship.
#2 Don't Ignore Your Intuition
You should feel safe and comfortable with the person you're getting to know online. If anything about them makes you feel uncertain, trust your instincts, stop communicating and definitely don't meet them in person. If you feel unsafe, don't feel pressured to do anything you don't want to do online or on a date. FYI, your instincts are not as sharp when you're drinking alcohol, so don't get intoxicated or you may not pick up on important red flags.
#3 Do Research the Online Dating Sites
There are many options for online dating; look around until you find the dating website that's right for you. Certain sites cater to specific groups of people or may attract a particular type of dater. Look for the site that you think has the most potential dates for you. If you find you don't like a certain site or the type of people you're meeting there, then don't feel bad about taking your profile down and leaving the site.
#4 Don't Give Away Your Personal Information
Not everyone online has good intentions. For your safety, keep your personal information to yourself. If someone asks a lot of questions about your banking or credit card information, they may be a scammer. Keep that type of info to yourself. You also don't want to give out your home address, home phone or work email address. Use your cell phone or an online number and set up a free email account (Yahoo/Gmail) just for dating correspondence.
#5 Do Your Own Background Check
There's nothing wrong with doing an internet search on the person you're interested in just to see what you discover. There are scammers, stalkers and fakers out there. You can visit a site like RomanceScams.org to find out if your potential love interest has a habit of misrepresenting himself/herself online or is a known scammer.
#6 Don't Meet in a Private Location
Find a well-populated, public place to meet for the first couple dates. You want to use your own transportation to and from the date, that way, if the date isn't going well or you have any concerns about your safety, you can safely get yourself home. You should not meet at or visit each other's homes until you get to know each Edit Request: Top 10 Dos and Don'ts of Successful Online Dating
Dr. Michelle Callahan's new book, "Ms. Typed: Stop Sabotaging Your Relationships and Find Dating Success," is available now. For more information on dating tips from Dr. Michelle, go to DrMichelle.com.
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