Five Types To Avoid When You Date Online

By: Mark Miclette

Do you find that you keep meeting people online who are complete duds in the dating department? Bad dating experiences can range from meeting those who are simply dull to those who make you uncomfortable to those who are actually dangerous. Here are a few types to weed out early to save yourself some trouble online:

1. The Negging Pro. There’s a practice in the so-called “pick-up culture” called negging that involves giving backhand compliments or even mildly insulting someone to put them off-balance. The goal is to make you beg for their approval. However, it’s a controlling technique that can be a sign of an abusive personality.
2. The Profile Picture Liar. If they are sporting hairstyles in their profile pictures that seem 10 years out of date, there could a good reason. The profile pictures themselves may be that old. If they won’t provide a recent picture, give them a pass.
3. Ms. Fast Forward. Is she referring to you as an item before you’ve met and mentioning marriage or kids on the first date? End things with equal haste, as this is someone who could be trouble later on.
4. Mr. Negative. Is his profile full of demands that those who contact him be “real” or “serious”? Does he quiz you in emails about whether you are “like all those other girls”? This guy has a lot of hostility and could even be dangerous.
5. The Sweet-Talker. You’ve been chatting for a week or two, when they suddenly need a favor: could you help them with a little bit of cash to take care of some random emergency? This online dater often creates fake profiles for the express purpose of hustling others for cash. No matter how compatible you seem to be, never lend money to someone who you don’t know.

All of the negative, conniving and downright dangerous people in the online dating world can make it all seem like it’s not worth it. But, with an open mind and an alert nature, you can protect yourself against online dating disasters.