Top must-know tips for online dating and how to avoid scams

Online dating is a unique and innovative way for singles to meet. Millions of people have already tried it. Some people are disappointed, others succeed but it keeps gaining popularity daily.

If you have never tried online dating or haven’t managed to succeed in it for a long time, this guide is exactly for you. Find out how to succeed in online dating, check the best online dating tips for men, and realize what you might have been doing wrong.

Your online dating guide

Even though online dating seems to be a lot of fun, it is connected with a range of challenges and is full of various pitfalls. If you have perfect communication skills, you might not need online dating because it’s easy for you to meet people in your area. If you lack the time or are too busy with your job, and do not have any chances to go out, online dating might be an option also.

This way of meeting people is also good for those who do not want to date locals. You can date a woman from any corner of the globe on one of the online dating sites. It is also perfect for those who are not sure of their communication skills. When you are not confident and far from being an alpha male, try it.

If you struggle with getting acquainted with ladies, the following online dating tips will save your time, reputation, and help you meet a nice lady finally.

Choose the right dating site

Before you start your search, you should pick the right service. There are hundreds or maybe even thousands of online dating sites all over the Internet. They offer a vast variety of services. You can choose any provider for any needs and expectations. There are free sites, paid ones, and various dating apps.

On many of them, you can search for candidates specifically, for example, according to your religious, political, race, profession, social status, and age preferences. The choice is really overwhelming. It is very easy to get lost. In order to choose the right dating service, check these simple tips:

Find out the reputation. A lot of dating sites are known as scams. If you do not want to get trapped, devote a couple of minutes and search for the reviews. Experienced sites have a lot of users’ reviews and testimonials. They do not necessarily have to be perfect but most of them should be positive. There are always unsatisfied customers, so do not be afraid if you came across a couple of them. It will just mean that these reviews are not fake but written by real users.
Check customer support. It is crucial to be replied to in case you have issues, questions, or force majeure situations. You might have even payment issues, for example, double payments or declination of your credit card, etc. Good and responsive customer support will regard your request and provide you with a solution as soon as possible. If they answer too long or do not reply at all, do not even think to sign up with that service. Otherwise, you will never be heard and will be left with your problem face-to-face.
Make sure to read terms and conditions. Not to be mad afterward, read all the conditions from the beginning. It will save a lot of your time and nerves in the future. Do not assume, always verify.

Pick a profile picture

Signing up for a dating site is not enough. Many guys believe that a profile is their guarantee of meeting a girl and that is partially true. Thousands of other people have their profiles on the same site. Only a small percentage of them succeed though. Your profile is the first thing women pay attention to and they will never open it if it is not appealing.

As you can imagine, your picture is the first step to success. Do not underestimate its significance and do not put the very first picture you find on your phone or laptop. Here are a couple of tips concerning profile photos on online dating sites:

Your picture must be not older than 6 months. Avoid posting old pictures if you do not want your crush to be scared or disappointed when seeing you in a video chat or in person.
Better if it is not photoshopped and not a pro photo. An official photo from your ID card isn’t good for a dating site. Better post a normal everyday-life picture, it makes a much better impression on women and people, in general.
Avoid posting photos where you are not alone. It’s ok if you post a picture with your pet but not with other people and, especially, women. Other seekers have no wish to guess who among those people are you and who those girls are — your sister, friend, or ex.
Avoid posting fake pictures. Sooner or later, your crush will know your picture is not yours and it will not lead to any good results.

Complete your profile

One of the most important online dating profile tips is to fill in your profile properly. First of all, it should never be empty. Once someone opens it, she must get at least some basic information about you. No one wants to reply to your messages or send a letter to you if you didn’t even try to write a couple of words about yourself.

It doesn’t mean you should provide your full biography there but writing about your interests, hobbies, and expectations about your partner is a must. Keep in mind your information should not be fake, especially your name, age, and location.

Online dating message tips

Now as you have signed up for a dating site taking into account your needs, created and completed your profile, you can start communication. As the experience of many users shows, communication can be an issue. Here are a couple of online dating message tips for you to keep in mind:

Avoid sending templates to all ladies. It is obvious when your message isn’t personalized, a more or less smart and attentive lady will notice it. Thus, always include her name at the beginning of your letter, avoid sending letters with wrong names, and double-check the spelling, especially, if she is not from your country.
Do not ask the list of questions as if you messaged her to interrogate. No one will want to answer your endless questions, especially in the first message. Women are here for easy-going and light communication.
Avoid such topics as religion, politics, finances, and intimacy, especially in the first messages. If you’re looking for a woman of a specific faith, you can mention it in your profile or first message but without going too deep into it. In your first messages, avoid requiring a lady to turn into your religion or follow certain rules.
Be patient and do not require anyone to reply to you as soon as possible. Do not select any timeframes. People are different — someone is a good writer while others are not. Not all people have time to write every day or every hour.
Avoid very long messages. Not all people prefer writing or reading such letters. A woman will get bored with it and will think you are a chatterbox. Do not require them to write responses of the same length. They are not obliged to do it if they do not like writing or have no time for it.

Online dating safety tips

Safety is crucial when it comes to online dating and you have probably heard and read so many scary stories about scammers online. Unfortunately, this is true. Online dating sites are preferred places for scammers. It’s no wonder while committing crimes online is easy and cyber police are not that proficient yet.

One of the saddest things about online scams is that in most cases, you cannot prove their guilt because you sent all of your money of your own free will. Here are safety tips for online dating to avoid being scammed:

Pick a reputable dating site. See the tips above to do it.
Realize that people can lie in their profiles. Nine of ten online dating profiles on Tinder are proved to be fake. Do not trust everything you read in profiles but always verify.
Avoid using the pay-per-letter system for too long. Always request a video chat with this woman. If she is always making excuses for not having time for it or a webcam, this is a scam. This person is not who you think and her pictures are fake or stolen.
Never send money to someone you have never seen. Scammers always create various sad stories, do not believe in them even if they seem so realistic. Ill parents, lost wallets, crashed cars, etc. These are all not true. Never send money for her tickets and visa. For the first meeting, a woman will never go to you. If she agreed, arrange the tickets and everything else on your own.
Never believe when a woman says she has no smartphone or laptop to exchange contact information with you. They live in the 21st century and everyone has a smartphone and laptop. This is just a reason for asking you for money and disappearing.

Be prepared for online dating

We hope these online dating tips for men will help you understand what you should do not to get trapped. Before joining a dating site, weigh all the pros and cons and estimate the risks. Remember that registration on the site doesn’t guarantee you any success. You will need to work on it yourself, just like in real life.

Be aware of scams and use the above-mentioned tips to be protected from them. Remember that scammers are bad, but those people who do not pay attention to the red flags bear their own responsibility for being scammed. You should not trust everyone blindly and notice suspicious behavior.