You and the Internet Safety first

I like that advice Linea. I think I might get a spare mobile just for that!

a friend has a spare mobile she gives that no to guys she meets online and always meets in public place.

I met a sleeze bag online who talked the talked all sweet and lovely, said he wasnt on fb, did abit of investigating and found him on fb, with the same standard 'intro' that he had sent in a message to me. A few chats later I made some statements (didnt mention fb), he got annoyed and said he wouldn't talk to me because I was asking lots of qs, wasn't going to fall for that one.

Another guy said he loved me after chatting a few times and I told him he was being riduculous. we chatted a few times but I told him you cant 'love' someone like that and he was in a fantasy type land. Met helps of married men after affairs, quite happy to say upfront they just wanted sex etc.

One site for single parents had alot of single men with no kids. I complained about that and dropped out of the site.

Very wise thoughts Amanda!

I totally agree and would like to add that when meeting an online contact for the first time, in addition to giving the details of who, where and when I also arrange for someone to call me about 30 minutes into the meeting - this gives me an excuse to leave if I need too and I have used it once or twice - sorry family emergency have to go and I am out of there.



G

now I feel scared.. sounds stupid but Im not joking... I feel a bit unsettled

Great Advice Amanda

One thing to add always make sure you have a good anti virus and always use private settings when setting out in the www. I have worked in law enforcement and have busted many online scammers, especially online dating ones. if you ever need advice please PM me and i can help where i can. Identity theft can happen

Remember what you sat and do online STAYS ONLINE FOREVER so please be safe

With threads concerning online dating, and facebook etc, I believe a few reminders may help us all.

The Internet can be a wonderful place, and it can open up so many conversations with so many different people from all over the world. People we would never meet, in the course of our everyday lives.

However with all the pluses of the cyber world, comes some minuses.

While the net allows many people to talk and strike up friendships that can move quite safely and happily into real life situations, it can also allow people a means by which they can prey upon the lonely or isolated. People can pretend to be anyone or anything online, (I'm sure we have all heard of child molestors taking on the roles of teenagers, in order to lure victims into their hands), the point is that it is not only the young who can fall for the lines these less than honest people can and will use.

So we all need to be aware of our own personal safety and the steps we can take to ensure that we stay safe.

First be aware that membership here or any other forum, does not automaticly mean a member is who or what they claim to be, we do not verify members.

Remember having a common interest, does not mean you will be friends with everyone you meet online. People are individuals and with that comes a huge array of likes and dislikes. We do not like or have to like every person we meet through out our lives, it is no different in the cyber world.

Do not give out personal contact details online, you as a rational adult who would not dream of placing your contact details on the front page of the newspaper, but we can forget that by placing those details on a public cyber space such as forums or sites such as Facebook and myspace we are sending those details to a huge audience.

Friendships certainly can be made online and relationships can safely move from the cyber world into the real world, but some common sense is vital to maintain personal safety. If you do wish to venture from a cyber friendship to a real time friendship be smart and follow some important rules. Ask questions that you can verify, if Joe Blow says he works in a secret department for the Australian Security intelligence Organisation, (Spy Central) so you can not check up on him, listen to those warning bells in your head, if Joe Blow says he is the manager of the local bakers and feel free to pop in for a cuppa if you ever passing chances are he is telling the truth. Like wise if our friend Joe Blow refuses to give you a contact number (mobile numbers are fine as long as no ristrictions are made on when you can call that number i.e if he says don't ever call after 5pm) for himself or tell you his last name, he is hiding something. Never give out your home address or private contact details before you have met someone face to face. If you wish to move from private messages to a drink or a coffee, do so only in a public place, by all means take a friend with you, or at the very least leave all the information you have on the person you are meeting with someone you trust, with instructions on what to do if you do not check in at a set time.

The best way to keep yourself safe in any cyber situation is to remember to listen to your gut, if anything does not sit right with you, chances are they are not right.

Enjoy your time in the cyber world, but please remember common sense and trust those warning bells in your heads.

Mandy