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New to the dating scene? Want the 101 on Dating basics? Over the past few years, the free online dating industry has simply exploded. Are you ready for love and willing to look online? Then you might be in luck! A computer and an Internet connection will get you started. Then a few clicks with your mouse, and you’re on your way. You’ve got instant access to millions of potential love matches.
Dating sites can be divided into two main categories: paid sites and free sites. The free sites have an obvious advantage – no fees. But there can be many drawbacks just under their fee-free surface. On the other hand, the paid sites do cost money, but they certainly have their own advantages: your fee grants access to a site that’s optimized for a better user experience. And you can also expect certain general security measures to be in place.
Not all dating sites are created equally; remember that! You only get what you pay for – or don’t pay for, in the case of free sites. There can be danger with a free site. You could be opening yourself up to unknown risks.
If dating sites are truly a business, how do these supposedly free sites operate without charging their members? The free sites just don’t offer its members the “bells and whistles.” Free webcam chatting or video hosting capabilities don’t exist with the free sites. But maybe most important – you won’t find responsive customer service. And that means no one ready to answer your questions. Don’t even think of calling their customer support phone line; you won’t find one.
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Besides fewer features and virtually no customer service, the free sites do give you something: banner advertisement pop-ups and pop-unders. You’ll get so many you will need to duck! Fun stuff, right? Add more e-mail advertising filling up your mailbox – at least once a week. And in case you want more – they may sell your personal information to big advertising networks.
Not enough? You’re still thinking about a free dating site?
So, let’s pretend you go ahead and sign on with a free dating site. Next thing you know – you find someone interesting. You begin by spending a few weeks e-mailing back and forth. You take it to the next step – and start talking on the phone. You’ve enjoyed his or her company virtually. But now you both say you’re ready to try a face-to-face meet. Since there are no fees that must be paid to use the dating service, this person could be virtually anybody. He or she could have loaded false images and provided false personal information when signing up. And this person could have done it all just to convince you to meet in person. Sadly, this happens all the time. Now, not everyone who does this intends to hurt or harm you, but too often, that is exactly what he or she means to do.
If you were to meet someone from a free dating site and you were to be robbed or otherwise assaulted, what information about your date can you tell the police? There’s no credit card or other payment information on record for this person. So how are police going to go about locating him or her?
These problems are just non-existent on paid dating sites. While there’s no question you will be charged a fee, you’ll also get much more in exchange. You won’t be sifting through paid advertisements or dumping spam from your e-mail box.
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If you decide to join a paid dating site, you’ll discover they have detailed search parameters for its member database. And when you find a member you like, you have several ways to communicate besides e-mail, such as instant messaging or even webcam chatting.
Perhaps the best feature of a paid dating site is a subtle one. If you eventually found someone you liked, and you set a date to meet, you have some assurances; the other member’s real personal information is on file with the dating site.
This is the latest story from the Toronto Sun about one of the horrors that could await you on free online dating services [http://www.torontosun.com/News/Canada/2008/08/16/6469331-sun.html]
Author: Patsy Copus
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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