Everyone should go out and try to find the love of their lives. However, you need to be smart and protect yourself out there. Here’s a few tips to go by to watch your back in the dating world.

Tip 1: If it seems too good to be true, it might be. Trust your gut, and don’t jump into something that you’re unsure of. Don’t move past basic online communication before you’re sure this person is who they say they are.

Tip 2: When using a dating website, make sure that all communication is double-blind. On top of that, never include your full name, employer, home address, email address, or any other personal information in the beginning. Turn off your email signature when messaging prospective partners. Also, if someone is trying to get you to leak personal information, stop talking to them right away. Normal people don’t do that.

Tip 3: Ease into a relationship. If you take it slowly, you’re not making yourself as vulnerable. Progress your way into becoming fully involved with each others lives if you didn’t know each other very well before you started dating. Practice safe sex with people whose history you are unsure of, or you could be in for some nasty news. The more relaxed a pace you take it at, the less likely you are to be taken advantage of, acquire an STD, or have your heart broken.

Tip 4: On the Internet, anyone can be anyone. Keep this in mind, and don’t trust people whom you don’t have more personal information on. Keep in mind not to be the intrusive guy seeking personal information early on, or you’ll be the guy we told you to avoid in Tip 2.

Tip 5: Personal appearance can help feed your instincts on a person you’ve never met. Although you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, if the cover happens to be part of the limited information you have at your disposal, then by all means use it for judgment. Photos in a variety of settings can help. Perhaps a professional picture as well as one at a bar with some friends will give you a more natural feeling.

Tip 6: It might be wise to talk to the person on the phone to see how they sound and get a feel for how smooth they are at communicating. Try doing this without giving out your phone number. Think before using your cell phone, or maybe block your number and then call them.

Tip 7: Meeting people online affords you the advantage of getting to know them before you meet them. Use that advantage. You can always cancel a date, or postpone meeting them until you’re comfortable enough to do so.

Tip 8: You’ll be able to judge a person best by how they act. If they get angry, frustrated, intrusive, passive aggressive, indirect, or secretive, you’ll be able to see that as a warning sign of more things to come. This will be a very easy one for you to feel out. People you meet shouldn’t show their bad sides to you early on.

Tip 9: Take precaution when meeting your date for the first time offline. Let people you trust know that you’re meeting with a stranger, and give them the contact information for both you and the date. Always take your own car so you can leave when you want, and so the person doesn’t find out where you live. Go to a public place, and watch your alcohol consumption. The last thing you want is to be out of control of a situation with a stranger.

Tip 10: If you’re going out of town for a date, stay at your own hotel and don’t tell the person to meet you there. Get your own car and meet the date at a public place. Remember, you may not know this town, so get a feel for the area before going out with your date. Also, science shows that the effects of alcohol tend to hit people faster when they are drinking in places they are unfamiliar with. So watch your drinking.

Remember to trust your gut. If you feel unsafe or in danger, leave. You can excuse yourself to the bathroom and leave, or you can call someone to ask them for their opinion. Don’t be afraid of being rude in doing this, because your safety is worth a lot, whereas the opinion of a stranger you don’t like means absolutely nothing.