Teens and Online Dating Websites

In most cases, cyber dating is unsafe for teens. This is because, as you probably already know, there are a lot of predators online who try to prey on teens. That cute 16-year-old lacrosse player who lives a few hours away that your daughter is talking to online could really be a 40-year-old dude who lives with his parents a few blocks away from you. It’s easy to stretch the truth online, and people do it all the time. Although most reputable dating sites don’t allow teens to sign up for their services, there are a few online dating sites and dating chat rooms geared toward teens. If you discover that your teen has starting dating someone online, you should definitely be concerned.

Here are a few tips to help you deal with this type of situation:

1. Have a serious discussion about the risks
Your teen probably already knows that meeting people online isn’t the safest choice. However, he or she decided to do it anyway. As a parent, it’s your job to communicate the risks of online dating to your son or daughter without seeming too much like an overprotective, overbearing parent. So, sit down together and have an adult conversation about online predators. Try not to get angry with your teen, and calmly ask your teen to stop visiting online dating sites. This discussion may not be enough to convince your teen to stop meeting people online. It will, however, get your teen to start thinking more about how dangerous online dating can be.
2. Monitor your teen’s online behavior
Install some software on your computer that will let you monitor your teen’s online habits. You can choose whether or not you let your teen know you’re doing this. After the software is installed, check to see what sites your teen is visiting regularly, but avoid invading your child’s privacy too much. There’s no need to go through all of his or her Facebook messages, unless there’s good reason to suspect something is up. If you notice your teen is regularly visiting sites that appear to be online dating sites, you may want to get some software to block those sites from your family computer.
3. Do a background check on online suitors
If your teen still finds a way to cyber date, despite your efforts to curtail this activity, find out who he or she is talking to. Find out the name of the person, where he or she lives, and where he or she supposedly goes to school. Then conduct a background check on the online suitor to see if he or she is telling the truth to your teen.

Call the school the suitor allegedly attends and see if he or she is actually enrolled there. Try to find the phone number of the parents of the suitor, call them, and let them know their child is dating your child. If it turns out that the person your teen is communicating with is actually another, normal teen, you’ll have to decide whether or not you’ll allow your child to continue communicating with him or her. If you discover that the online dater isn’t actually a teen, it’s best to report him or her to the authorities.

Cyber dating is a real risk in your teen’s life. So, make sure you have an open, honest conversation about meeting people online with your son or daughter. And keep tabs on your child’s online behavior. It’s critical that you take the necessary steps to protect your teen from online predators.

Familiar with personal information screenings and online background checks, Jane Smith regularly writes about these topics in her blogs. Feel free to send her comments at janesmith161@gmail.com.

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Do You Know Who Your Teen Is Chatting With Online? The Catfish Scam

This is not just about teens and kids; adults and parents can be lured by deceptive people digitally.

The sad tale of Manti Te’o and his fraudulent girlfriend has brought a problem with online dating to light: the risk of catching a catfish. “Catfish” is the term used to describe a person who poses as someone they’re not in order to establish a relationship with an unsuspecting online dater.

These scams can be carried out for financial gain, or simply to fulfill a need for acceptance and love that the catfish isn’t feeling in their actual lives. Whatever the motive, perpetrating such a ruse can have heartbreaking effects on the targeted party.

If you’re in an online relationship or considering one, here are 10 ways to guard yourself against a catfish scam.

1. Web Search – Some people hesitate to “Google” their new online sweetheart for fear of invading their privacy. The truth is, a quick web search may turn up a few pieces of information that confirm your significant other’s identity. You don’t have to pry or dig into personal backgrounds with in-depth reports. Just run a quick search and see what comes up.
2. Insist on Webcam Chats – When someone you’re dating online dodges webchats for an extended period of time, it’s often an indicator that she isn’t who she claims to be. It’s understandable to be hesitant about webchatting in the earliest stages of a relationship, but it’s a bit fishy when she’s professing her undying love but still dodging the camera.
3. Read Between the Lines – It’s easy to miss signs that are literally right before your eyes when you’re swept up in the excitement of a new romance. Before you get too emotionally invested, make a habit of reading between the lines of what he says and listening to what he doesn’t say. Fabricating an entirely new personality isn’t easy and you may be able to pick up on some subtle warning signs.
4. Their Facebook Wall – Creating a fake Facebook profile is easy, but making it look genuine is not. When you scan your new sweetie’s Timeline, look at the things posted there. A plethora of games and app requests combined with a dearth of personal postings may be a red flag that the person you’re dating doesn’t actually exist. Think about the things that your own friends and family members post on your wall; if they’re missing from his, it may be because the fictitious character you’re chatting with has no friends or family.
5. Critical Thinking – When emotion takes over, it’s difficult to think about things objectively and use your own common sense regarding the situation. In many cases, however, an entire false relationship could have been avoided with a bit of old-fashioned critical thinking. If something doesn’t seem to add up, it’s usually because there are holes in the story.
6. Trust Your Instincts – Your own instincts are a powerful detection tool, but they may be hard to follow when you’re focused solely on your emotions. Having a hunch that all is not what it seems or a nagging feeling that something is off with your new relationship is a sure sign that you should dig a bit deeper before investing further.
7. Look for Photo Tags – Group photos posted on Facebook or other social networking sites that include your honey, but have none of the other members tagged, can be a sign of a stolen picture. To realistically fake a fully-tagged group shot, a catfish would have to create and maintain that many fraudulent accounts. In the end, even the most dedicated sweetheart scammers probably won’t have that kind of time on their hands.
8. Use Dating Sites With Verification Services – To help stem the tide of con-artist heartthrobs, some online dating sites are offering verification services that ensure an account holder is who they claim to be. Using these sites to meet someone allows you an extra layer of security against catfish scams.
9. Be Wary of Elaborate Excuses – Car trouble or bad weather are par for the course in anyone’s life, but if your online girlfriend keeps putting off meetings or webchats because she’s been in a coma-inducing car accident before being sucked into a tornado and swallowed by a tsunami, there’s a good chance there’s a bit of dishonesty going on. Elaborate, over-the-top tales of woe are a trademark move of relationship scammers and can be a very reliable indicator that you’re not talking to the person who you think.
10. Pay Attention to Detail – Keeping track of all the many details that are necessary to convincingly fake an entire personality and life history is amazingly difficult. Simply keeping an eye out for details that don’t add up or stories that don’t fit into a proper timeline can give you all the evidence you need of an Internet sweetheart that’s not shooting straight.

In the interest of protecting your assets, it’s wise never to send money to someone you’re dating online and have never met in person. Online dating is a legitimate way of meeting and establishing relationships with open and honest people, but there is a slight chance that you’ll come across a huckster or two before you meet your intended.

Source: Longhorn Leads

Should you discuss Catfish with your teens? Absolutely! Click here for tips.

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