It's becoming more and more difficult to meet people you want to date, especially when you get older.  When you’re out of college and not closely interacting with different people everyday, it becomes harder to meet people who have similar interests to yours.  Depending on where you live, it might be hard just to find people in your age group.  No wonder then that dating services, like Match.com and eHarmony.com, are so appealing.  They offer a network, a way to meet people of similar age and interests that you might not have met otherwise.  Yet these services, like most other online areas where personal information is involved and people can meet others, come with a few warnings:

- There's no background check on these sites. People can pretend to be whoever they want to be. Just because someone says something doesn't necessarily make it true.
- Don't reveal too much personal information. Addresses and phone numbers are better kept secret. Putting the town you live in or near is one thing, but if you make your address public knowledge, there's no telling what could happen.  You could get surprise visits from someone who just doesn't understand what 'Sorry no second date' means.  Unless you want your phone ringing off the hook by people you've never met before or people who, when they are rejected, can't control their anger and could do you harm, don't give out information that could help locate you.
- Post your picture with caution. Dating sites often ask for a picture but you don't have to provide one.  Plenty of people do, but just make sure you post one that's not embarrassing to you. If you wouldn't want your friends to see it, it’s probably not a good idea to post it.
- If you do agree to a first date with someone you meet through these sites, make sure someone knows where you're going and how long you intend to be there.  Also, make sure you set up the date in a public place.  Better to be safe than sorry.
- For a first date, it's usually a good idea to meet the person somewhere and to make it a double-date. This way, you have your own way to get home and can leave when you want to (if the date isn't going so well, for example, you can leave early).  Plus they won't know where you live this way, so they can't stalk you if things don't go well.
- Trust your instincts. If you end up talking to someone through the site who doesn't feel right to you, you don’t have to agree to a date or meet him/her in person. You're not obligated to meet anyone you don't want to. Trust your instincts; they are usually right.

If you're too busy to meet people or you're new to the area, dating sites might be just what you need to jump start your love life. Just be careful and exercise your judgment when using these sites. They have the potential for something great to be waiting for you, but you must be smart in knowing how to safely use them.