Internet Dating Scams

There are a great many quite legitimate dating service websites that allow members to establish online relationships. Often, these online friendships blossom into genuine long-term relationships. An increasing number of people have found life-partners via relationships started online.

Sadly however, scammers have managed to effectively exploit this trend to further their own nefarious ends. Many people around the world have been duped into sending money to Internet fraudsters posing as would-be girlfriends or boyfriends.

A typical Internet dating scam goes like this:

1. A person registers at an online dating service and creates a profile. The profile will include information, and possibly a photograph, of the person along with a way for interested people to make contact.
   
   
2. In due course, a scammer contacts the person posing as someone interested in exploring a possible romantic relationship.
   
   
3. The victim responds and the pair begins corresponding regularly. They may soon bypass the dating service contact system and start communicating directly, usually via email.
   
   
4. Over time, the scammer will slowly earn the trust of the victim. He or she may discuss family, jobs and other details designed to make the correspondent seem like a real person who is genuinely interested in the victim. Photographs may be exchanged. However, the "person" that the victim thinks he or she is corresponding with, is likely to be purely an invention of the scammer. Photographs may not even show the real sender. The victim's apparent love interest may look completely different to the person in the photograph and, in reality, may not even be the same gender.
   
   
5. After the scammer has established the illusion of a genuine and meaningful relationship, he or she will begin asking the victim for money. For example. the scammer may claim that he or she wants to meet in person and ask the victim to send money for an airfare so that a meeting can take place. Or the scammer may claim that there has been a family medical emergency and request financial assistance. The scammer may use a variety of excuses to entice the victim to send funds.
   
   
6. If the victim complies and sends money, he or she will probably receive further such requests. With his or her judgement clouded by a burgeoning love for the scammer's imaginary character, he or she may continue to send money.
   
   
7. Finally, the victim will come to realize that he or she has been duped, perhaps after waiting fruitlessly at the airport for a "lover" who, will, of course, never arrive.
   
   
8. Meanwhile, the scammer pockets the money and moves on to the next victim. In fact, the scammer may be stringing along several victims simultaneously.

How to Be A Gentleman in the Dating World

Being a gentleman comes easily for some more so than others. A true gentleman is someone who recognizes your needs as well as his own and can compromise graciously. A gentleman in the dating world needs to be courteous, understanding, a good listener and have manners. When you are dating, a man needs to display his quality characteristics and refrain from any little jokes or crude remarks. Dating a man who is a gentleman is so refreshing for a woman that she may just fall in love after the first date.

Manners are something that men today do not understand mainly because that is not how young men are raised. However, if you are entering the dating world, you need to have manners and have an idea about proper ways to treat a woman. A gentleman opens a door for a woman and enters after her. The car door is opened and then shut for the woman after she is seated in the car. A gentleman compliments a woman on her appearance. If a man has nothing nice to say, he smiles warmly and says nothing.

A gentleman realizes that a woman is always first. First to enter a room, first to order from the menu and first to be seated at a table. If a woman excuses herself to use the ladies room, when she returns a man pulls out her chair and pushes her ion slightly, then sits back down. A gentleman offers a sensitive side. If the woman is explaining something of importance to her, the man needs to listen without interrupting while offering a few kind words when appropriate.

A gentleman in the dating world is not self centered. If you have the attitude that you are the center of attention, you are not acting wisely or in a sensitive manner. A man who only sees himself will not have time for anyone else. This is a turn off for any woman. A woman wants to have someone that is attentive and has some manners. Talking is always a hard thing for a man to do especially if they have a witty sense of humor or even a warped sense of humor.

On a first, second or even third date, a woman is still making her opinion of you and she needs to see your courteous side. This means no bad jokes, refrain from "seeing the wait staff trip" and breaking out into a laugh, even if it is funny. You can laugh and have fun, but it depends how you have fun and laugh that will reflect on your date. Going to a funny movie and laughing together is one way to show your good-natured side. Going to a comedy club is all right, but you may want to save that for the fourth date.

A gentleman has manners, wit, a sensitive side and is a great listener. You are not out with the boys, therefore, you want to act differently and refrain from rough behavior. You should show your good qualities and you will have a success at dating and maybe even finding that special person.