With the most romantic day of the year quickly approaching, you've decided Valentine's Day is the perfect occasion to meet that special someone. For those of you new to online dating, post a photo that shows your best smile and have fun with a witty tagline. Add a unique profile about your favorite things and what you like to do in your spare time, but avoid disclosing private information like your name, where you live or work, or how much money you make. Sharing private details like this could make you a target for scam artists. For single parents, don't share information about your children until after you get to know the person with whom you are communicating, including any photos with you and your children.

Efforts Under Way to Fight Financial Scams and Sexual Predators

Washington, D.C. -- With increased numbers of users and an increase in the amount of providers of online dating services comes opportunity for cyber crime and a need for users of these services to maintain safety awareness while surfing for love. In light of this, public safety advocates and state lawmakers are promoting legislation to create greater safety protections for online daters in 2007.

Legislative efforts are already under way in several states to reduce cyber crime. The Safer Online Dating Alliance (SODA), a nationwide coalition dedicated to improving online dating safety, is working with public safety proponents nationally and in Michigan, Florida, Illinois and Texas to advance legislation addressing cyber crime and improving online dating safety.

Washington D.C. -- The Safer Online Dating Alliance applauds today's announcement that a convicted sexual predator was removed from a top online dating site and banned from all dating and relationship sites. This landmark settlement sends a powerful message that member safety should be the primary concern for online dating companies and sets an example for other online dating companies to follow.

KVBC-TV
May 18, 2005
Las Vegas Weekly relationship columnist Sonja Flaherty tells her experience of how she was raped by a man she met through an online dating service.

Victims say rapist used Web, personals to lure them, The Providence Journal
May 1, 2005

Ronald Fischer used a fake name, lied about his age and lied about his personal wealth to lure women to him. He used match.com to find his victims. No the rapist is on the run to avoid the authorities.

http://www.projo.com/

Forward Newspaper
May 14, 2004

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. -- An Orlando man who used the Jewish Internet dating service JDate to lure women into dating him was arrested in Broward County last week with bail set at $21,000.

According to authorities, Urquiza has used several aliases while perpetrating his scams, including Vize Dumais, Vize Mariales, Zoran Rojas, Loren Rojas and Vincente Urquiza.

The investigation is ongoing, and authorities expect more women to come forward.