In August 2007, Des Gregor, a 56-year old Australian farmer, was held hostage for 12 days in Mali. The Aussie flew all the way to the African country expecting to marry a woman whom he had met over the Internet. Plus, he was to pick up an $86,000 dowry. To his shock, there was no woman. Instead, there were armed kidnappers demanding $86,000 from him in ransom.
This is one perfect example of an online romance gone wrong. While some people meet at parties and in bars, others hook up in cyberspace where they can interact freely. Today, the Internet provides an infinite number of dating and social networking sites that cater to almost everyone of legal age. Whether you're young or old, male or female, gay or straight, the Internet can offer you a place to meet people from different parts of the world. Chat rooms become the meeting place for some netizens. Although there's nothing wrong with meeting and dating people we meet online, utter carefulness is vital. Here are some tips you may want to consider before you get carried away by global love.
Do not disclose information that is very personal to you. Just like any normal dating situation, do not give away important information such as your credit card number, home address, finances, and business relationships. What you should talk about is each other's interests and not those details. Know each other well. Keep the communication open. Talk as often as possible so you'll have more chances of knowing the person inside and out. When you finally decide to fly to another country and meet up with him or her, you won't feel alienated because your date knows you well. If possible, do not visit another country alone, especially when it's your first time to that place.
Another good way of dating a foreigner is through a common friend. If you have a friend living or staying abroad, just ask him to recommend someone for you. This way, there is less risk of falling into the trap that Des Gregor fell into. If you like traveling, you can meet a lot of people that you can hang out with along the way.
The Internet has become the primary means of meeting and dating people from another country. Yes, it is exciting and fun, but you still have to be careful. Although a number of unpleasant cases involving online dating have been reported, online dating is still a great way to meet people.
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