It’s a good thing that corporations are recognizing the dangers of teen dating violence. I read this news report that Verizon Wireless pitched in $10,000 to the Council on Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence’s latest campaign targeted at teens.

The news item says:

The money will help educate young adults about healthy dating relationships, anger management and positive communication, to keep a new generation informed through social media.

CSA&DV Executive Director Margaret Sanders said, “It’s important to educate them around what is normal behavior, how good relationships are developed, and really how to recognize controlling behavior that often leads to abusive relationships.”

Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller added “Now I think we realize that there’s more psychological, physical and sexual abuse in dating relationships, and because they are so private and sensitive, as was mentioned before, people rarely talk about the situation when they’ve gone wrong.”

The 10-month campaign is part of Verizon’s ongoing partnership with CSA&DV that includes their HopeLine phone recycling program.

This was a good move by Verizon as it will help a safe dating environment for teens. Don’t you agree?

If you want to make a good impression on your first date, you might want to stay away from alcohol consumption. Drinking alcoholic beverages can impair your judgment and decision making. Being under the influence of alcohol in your date places you vulnerable to incidents and even to sexual assaults. If you want to make your first date a memorable one you better try to keep alcohol off the menu and have an alcohol-free date. You will not only make a good impression but you will also be a lot safer.

Alcohol-free food

Photo by: laprovocation

If you two are planning to have a dinner date, try not to order beer or wine. You can opt to have dessert afterwards and you can even have coffee after meal. Coffee is a great drink to ease your digestion and you will enjoy chatting with your date over coffee.  You have a lot of options to avoid incorporating alcohol into your date. You may also try cooking for your date or may also have a picnic. They will provide you the romance of a candle light dinner and the safety of a casual date on the mall. Its a plus factor as well when you get to impress your date with your cooking expertise, right?

Flex those muscles.

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You have a lot of options for this one. You can go and try out a new sport that you two will both learn at the same time. The challenge can boost up your chemistry and it will also give you a chance to measure your compatibility. You will not only be fit through these physical activities but this experience will give you a good topic to talk about on your next date.

Enjoy the scenery

When was the last time that you dropped by your local museum? Have you ever been to your local tourist spots? If you answered no, maybe this is the time for you to do so. It’ll not only keep you away from having a drinking spree in a bar but you can also help tourism in your locale.

Bring back your childhood days

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Who said that you can no longer play games? Remember how you bumped your way with bump cars? How you screamed when the roller coaster was just about to begin its flight downwards? Showcased your skill in the video arcade? You and your date will be in memory lane, and the best part of it? It’s alcohol-free!

Before you set a date, make sure that the place you agree to meet him is something that can be classified as safe, safe and safe. Especially when the person that you are about to date is someone that you just met online or someone that you barely knew. If you are having a hard time to know if the place that you are about to meet is safe then better read on and know more about places that you can meet your date risk-free and absolutely worry-free.

Stroll in the Park.

Photo credit: derlis alvarenga

If you are planning to go on a date in daytime and a park is just nearby, this is a good place for a first date. You can talk about a lot of things in a park. In addition to that, Parks are never isolated. A lot of people always stroll in the park so you are assured of your safety. If you are not familiar with the park that your date suggested, make sure that you bring a map with you. Better yet, study the map before you go there. You may get too caught up with your conversation that you may not notice where your date might be leading you. Be aware of your surroundings. If you sense that people are getting fewer in the way that you are heading, you might want to re-route and ask your date to go the other direction. If he/she refuses to go your way, maybe that person is up to no good and you better start thinking of a swift escape.

Laugh in comedy clubs.

You may not know it but comedy clubs are a great place to have your date. You can start the night with a few drinks and a little chit-chat while the comedy acts have not yet started. You will never have dead air and you will both enjoy the ambiance. However, you may not be able to talk as much when the comedy rolls in but this date will get you to assess his humor level and know if you two have the same wavelength. Funny guys are always easy to get along with and you cannot be wrong with people who exude ample amounts of happiness.

Visit the zoo.

Photo credit: mathewb123

Who said that zoos are for children only? If you want a no sweat and light date, you will never go wrong with a date in the zoo. Zoos offer a lot of discussion points and there are also a lot of cafes around it where you can hang out and have a chat. You will also enjoy the experience of seeing him afraid of the snake or if you’re a guy, you can offer you warm arms when she gets scared of the bear. Nice trick?!

Play ball.

Everybody enjoys a little challenge. You can play sport activities on your first date. Men love showing off their masculinity and its nice to make them realize that girls are not only beauty but good physique as well. Its best to start with a sport that you two don’t know how to play. You both will have fun and it’s a game of luck. You’re not going to a tournament so better choose a game where you two will enjoy and have a nice laugh afterwards.

Dine in a resto.

Photo credit: Ed Yourdon

If you want to do the classic then the restaurant is where you should be heading. Find a restaurant where you two will be comfortable to be in. Before you go on a date, you already know your date a little better than before so gauge if the place where you would meet him is ok for him. It should be a place where you two can relax and be yourselves. If you are not comfortable in a exclusive restaurant then maybe a chinese restaurant can serve you good. Think if a place where you can talk and get to know each other a lot.

Who said that men are immune to online dating scams? It may seem impossible but men are as vulnerable to online dating scams as women are. Even the most lean ones can be a victim of scams not to mention highly intellectual ones. Scammers do not only target women but women can also be scammers. A woman is a main weakness of a man and they’re putting that fact to their advantage.

My number? hold on.

Photo credit: ~PasiPeSticla

Giving out personal information is a big No-No. Scammers use the strategy of give and take. They give their personal information and ask you to give them yours. It may seem appropriate that they ask for your info in exchange of their info but you have to consider that the information that they are giving you might not be true. And, you don’t know where they will be using your information so you really have to be careful. Guys, never give out your real names, exact address, phone numbers and work address. Get to know that person really really well before you trust her.

Money talk? not now.

Photo credit: Helcim

If she’s too needy and dependent, she’s only after you’re money. This one is a tricky part. They have tons of ideas into talking you to lend them money. One popular strategy is to complain about a present dilemma. They will come on chat disturbed and completely out of themselves. You will ask them what’s wrong and they will tell you how desperate they are to solve that problem. Be very observant. Never fall for her frustrations and self pity strategies. You are not looking for another dependent, you are looking for a partner, someone who will help you out not for you to support financially.

Can’t be reached? hmmm…

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If the number she gave you didn’t work, maybe you have to reconsider. If she’s always busy and you always have to make the effort of calling, texting, and chatting them, them maybe there something that they are hiding, unless they already have given you a reasonable explanation. If they are telling you the truth about their feelings about you, it shouldn’t be all words but accompanied with actions.

Desperate? Oh-oh!

Ur dream girl? Photo by:`zemotion

Creating your online profile can be fun and very exciting. In a way, you get to talk about yourself while posting these information for views in the web. It’s like chatting with a long lost friend, you get to talk about a lot of things that you lost track of time and before you know it, you’re already late for supper. You might get a little carried away that you might give too much information than what is needed. There is no doubt that online dating is fun and interesting but it should never be a lobby for your personal information to run. You never know when you will catch a stalker’s attention.

Username check

What is more eye-catching that sexyvixen01? But ask yourself, are you really catching the eyes of the people that you intend to catch? If you use deliciousmebunny then it might only attract people who are interested in short-term relationships. And if you use iwantyoutomarryme, you might be getting attention from guys who are looking for long-term relationships. You need to be careful with choosing your username because the meaning that they convey can be a huge factor to the people that will be viewing your online profile.

Photo credit: moonimage

Personal information should be kept “Personal”.

In online dating, your main goal is to attract people that can meet your standards. Attracting people doesn’t include posting your cellphone number and address into your profile. Posting your personal details will not only put you in danger but it can also make you look desperate. People might

take advantage of you and immediately contact you because they know you are in need of a partner. Make them chase you, if they want your number then they have to work hard for it. Remember that you don’t know everybody that can view your profile. Honesty is always the best policy but you might need to save your personal information until you are 101% sure about the person you are giving them to.

Your safety is your friends’ safety as well.

Photo credit: ~veronica24

When hackers or scammers  got hold of your profile, they have all the access they could get from your profile. They can use your profile and pretend that they are the account holder. Some scammers use the strategy of asking help from someone else’’s profile friends. They use the profile to ask for help because they will they your friends that you are in jeopardy and in need of immediate help. Of course, your friends don’t know that it is a scammer and not you they are talking to. In their hopes to help you, they will fall prey to the scammer using your profile and give that hacker the money they asked for. You don’t need further explanation on this so you better be careful with your profile. You don’t want your friends to be robbed, do you?

He’s really cute and adorable and he asked you on a date! Now, now, before you get too excited, you have to take into consideration that you might not know a lot about him. Before you go head over heels about him, keep it low and consider your own safety. Yes, you have to date him girl! You shouldn’t let this slip away! But make sure that you get the tips below checked before going out of your door.

Sun light is good for your health.

Photo credit: ~bloodonthemoon5

Its as good for your safety as well. You can easily see your date and people can easily see you two as well. If he intends to do something bad, then he won’t have the chance when there’s a lot pf people and they can easily see you. It also gives you the chance to mesmerize his face. There’s a lot of benefits that the sun gives us, ayt?

Start outside.

Photo credit: ~staffh

When meeting your date for the first time, don’t let him pick you up at home. You don’t know that person that well yet and you have to take into consideration that you might like him after the date. You know little about this person and you don’t know if he’s a criminal of any sort so you have to be extra careful on your first date. You only bring him home after you get to know him better — so better that you have all the reasons in the world to get him home.

The more people, the better.

Photo credit: dissolved

Never go on a date when the venue is isolated. The best places that you can go are the malls, parks (on a sunny day but not at night), concerts or even in clubs. It might be your dream come true to be invited to a candlelight dinner in his apartment but that might not be a good idea if it’s the first time that you will go out with him. As mouthwatering as it is, you have to avoid being alone with him because you don’t know him that well. You can save being alone with him when you already got to a few dates with him. Of course you have to go to the next level if you get to know him so much better!*wink

No doubt, double date.

Photo credit: *sapphiregamgee

If you’re still having doubts, you always have the option to go with another couple. Make sure that you asks him about your idea of a double date. You might want to cancel your date if he refuses to have the date with another couple. It only means that his intentions might not be genuine as you think. If he resists taking your friends with you, you have to think of the reason why he doesn’t want your friends around while you date. Does he have anything in mind that your friends might interfere? Ok, you don’t really have to think. It’s quite logical that if he avoids meeting you with other people then he’s not going to do anything good.

Move on your own.

Photo credit: ~CrooshxPhotos

Although your dream consists of him taking you on a ride in his limousine, you might want to pass on that one.. for now. Get to know him better before you let him take you home or you ride with him in his car. On your first date,try to bring your own ride. This way, you get the excuse from joining him in his. Your date may have went so well that you might consider letting him take you home but people always give their best on first dates. Be a little patient. If he’s genuine, you will get that limousine ride soon.

The inevitable advancement in technology, everything can be done online. Dating is one of them. But this ease in socialization comes with a risk.  Dating frauds are rampant so protection and early detection of scammers and frauds when dating online and using Internet dating sites should always be your priority. One perfect example is when a lonely foreigner man gets a hold of the contact details of a young and attractive lady whose years younger than he is. They often chat and talk to each other. As time goes by, the lady attempted to ask for money from the foreigner saying that her mother is sick and has been hospitalized. Because of feeling pity for the woman, he gave her money for the hospitalization and even added a little more for allowance. After her mother, the lady’s father is then hospitalized and she asked for money again from the foreigner. Seeing no harm from helping the woman he may already have feelings for, he gave her money again for her father this time. This cycle continued on until the foreigner can no longer give her money. When the foreigner told the lady that he has no money to send for her, she got angry and furious. She immediately ended their relationship and told him to never speak to her again. He is then left heartbroken and penniless.
The sample above is considered the

Photo credit: ~Julyn88

nastiest form of scam, called Romance scam. There are actually many forms of scams but to top them all is Romance scam. These are the people that attach to you deeply. They play with your feelings and make you feel very special. They try to get your trust and after they’re successful, they will slowly take money from you. Scammers have a lot of faces, since online dating sites are easy to access, they can easily open new accounts and change their names and the personal information about them like gender, age and location.
Don’t fall too hard on that pretty face because scammers’ secret weapon is photos. They use very attractive photos, they may even resemble celebrities and models, for their profile. Modeling sites can easily be accessed so they may have been taking photos from such sites and using them for scam.

How does Romance scamming works?
First, they get hold of a victim. Because their profile photo is very attractive, they will certainly get a lot of attention from the people from the site. They would just choose from among her admirers and look for a guy that can easily fall prey to online romance.
Second, they create a fantasy love story. They make the guy feel special and make him feel that she already has feeling for him. She will call him “babe” or “honey” or even “baby”. She will make him feel so loved and cared for. This thought will completely overwhelm the guy thinking that he’s very lucky to have a very attractive lady attracted to him. He will definitely give her everything that she would ask for.
Third, the scamming begins. After gaining the guy’s trust and affection. She will formulate her story of a bad situation that had happened to her or her family. She will get him to feel pity for her so that he will immediately ask for anything that he can help her with. She will them grab the chance of mentioning about the amount that is needed for the situation. It can be a surgery that her father has to undergo or her brother got badly beaten that he has to be hospitalized. Of course the guy will feel pity and give her the money that she needs. After he falls into the trap, there is no stopping yet. She will continue to ask for money using different lies to come up for reasons.
Fourth and last phase, the disappearing act. Asking for a lot of money, the lady will slowly lose interest with conversing with the guy. She will start missing sending messages and later on cease to sending one. They will say a lot of reasons for not calling and in the end, change their numbers so that you won’t be able to call them.
Don’t want to experience the above situations? Keep these tips in mind and always remember them when dating online:

a.) Watch out for a flimsy username.
>Most women include their name or something very important to them into their username but will never try to have a username that will only attract people to view their profile.
b.) Read on the profile.
Does the profile indicate enough things about the individual using that profile? Is the information there vague and might be created by a person who’s main goal is to attract people not to get to know people? Think about the content of the profile. You can always distinguish scams and authentic ones.
c.) Examine photo.

Photo credit: ~Schattendorn
Is it too-good-to-be-true? Was it something that can be torn off a magazine page? If its too attractive and beautiful and the profile information is vague and a little bit too general, you might want to consider that that user is a scam. Never ever fall for that cute photo because you never know who that person is until you meet her personally.
Protect yourself from scam!

Photo credit: *BenHeine

Who says that you need other to protect you? In dating scams, you have no one to rely on but yourself.

1. Think rationally. If you are having doubts about the profile consider the worst case scenario and just avoid that user. It’s better to avoid it than to regret being involved and being scammed.

2.)Don’t give out any information about your banking and finances. That is the main of scammers and if you give them you personal details, you are just helping them scam. If you don’t want to be robbed, never give anything away.

3.)Don’t attempt reading unsolicited mails. Peaking is just like opening it so just delete it ok.

4.)If you don’t open the spam mail, then you need not to reply on it.

5.)Don’t ever agree to transfer money to other people. You never know whose hands will get a hold of your money.
Online dating is fun and exciting but you have to be very careful when you are chatting people only. Unless you know them personally, try not to fall in love with that sweet face and flowery words because you never really know who’s behind that photo.