Check Your Date - 3 Sure Ways to Fall in an Online Romance Trap

Check you date and protect yourself from the various romance traps out there. Married players, romance scammers, identity thieves, criminals, sex offenders, stalkers, free riders and gold diggers-the online dating world is rife with all kinds of predators prowling for their next victim. Here are 3 proven ways to set yourself up for another love disappointment:

1. Mr Perfection on the horizon.

Does he sound perfect in every possible way? Is he attractive, educated, wealthy, romantic and affectionate? Is the thought of him enough to sweep you off your feet? Now, wake up and take a hard look at reality. What you see and read is not always what you get in the world of online dating. Many people create online profiles that have little or nothing to do with their real image. The motifs in most of the cases are far from noble.

2. Excessive compliments.

Everybody likes compliments and attention in measured doses. However, if you are getting bombarded by tons of compliments and corny cliches, simply disregard them. If he puts you on a pedestal from the second e-mail and openly admits that he has found his soulmate, be alert. Such excessive courting is rarely honest.

3. Do not lay your cards on the table way too early.

That's another common mistake among dating women. Opening your heart and your soul to a stranger could be very risky. A lot of guys are looking for easy victims-the emotionally vulnerable women are their number one target. Also don't reveal personal details like date of birth, last name, personal e-mail and web page, home and work address until you feel truly comfortable with your potential date.

4. Background check.

Background checking your date is an invaluable tool that helps you learn about your date, his past, his true character. Marital status, number of kids, previous employers, criminal history, credit history-such information can help you take a hard look at reality and determine if the person is really worth it.

Check your date and protect yourself from the unknown. Don't underestimate the possibility of meeting dishonest people.