Beware of what online dating can do to you. This article came out in local newspaper and I thought it would be relevant for this blog. Just hope that despite your good intention of finding love online, care is needed and yes, think with your head, not with your heart.

She had gone on the Web to search for a life partner but his web of lies left her nearly $12,000 poorer.
Last Friday night, the 37-year-old accounts executive, who declined to be named, made a police report after she was cheated by a man she ‘met’ on international dating website match.com

The divorcee with three children told The Sunday Times yesterday she had put up her profile on match.com after hearing success stories from friends and colleagues.

She, too, thought she had found love when two months ago, the man, who went by the username tony7407 and who claimed to be Taiwanese, sent her an e-mail message.
They chatted online daily, occasionally calling each other over the phone too.

The man, claiming to be working in an investment company in Hong Kong, was ‘caring and knowledgeable’.

‘He said we had a future together and I believed him. He even said he was going to visit me in Singapore within the next two weeks,’ she said.

Just as she began to let her guard down, he told her he had lost heavily in the recent stock market crash.

Now eager to help him, she invested $5,500 through a ‘VIP account’ of his client. He promised her it would ‘definitely make money’.

Last Monday, he told her the stock market had rebounded, she had made a huge profit, and that his company would reinvest the profits.

Twenty-four hours later, more good news came: She had made a million dollars.
But to get her money, she had to remit $10,000 in administrative fees. Smooth as ever, when she said she did not have that sum, he said he would borrow it from friends.

Later that day, he claimed to have borrowed about half the money. He also said he would get into trouble if his company knew he had illegally used his client’s account.
Not wanting to see her ‘boyfriend’ in trouble, the woman called her sister, who works in China, to remit $6,100 to him.

But the man failed to log in that afternoon, as he usually did. Now suspecting a scam, the woman called him on the phone. He denied receiving the money.

She then tried to get her sister to stop the fund transfer but it was too late.

Last Friday, she made a police report in Singapore and in Hong Kong but was told that her chances of getting the money back was slim.

‘I was too engrossed in the relationship, and I used my heart to think instead of my head.’

She added: ‘Things on the Internet can’t be trusted. You must be 110 per cent on guard.’

Source: Sunday Times (Singapore)

If you’ve join an online matchmaking service and wonder why you have not receive a reply, often than not, its because of the quality of your profile. This article will suggest 12 quick tips for you to reorganize, relaunch and get you notice.

1. Write like you were talking – People like to connect with others, especially when they are on the internet. Don’t intimidate others with your long laborious profile. Write like you were talking to a friend. Write fast enough without taking a look at what you have written. After you have finish your profile, then go back and see what kind of sentences or phrases you want to keep. Bring your personality to print.
2. Be honest about yourself. Tell others what characteristics you have and what are you looking for. Think about the traits you can bring to the table, be sincere and honest while at the same time, putting your best face forward.
3. We all have intentions and agenda on te internet. Let the others know about it. Are you looking for a soulmate, a friend or just a little spice?
4. This is important. Studies show that by putting your picture in the profile, you will receive 3 times more better response than someone who didn’t, so don’t forget about this step, its so important.
5. You should check to see if your online dating service has any guidelines or tips for writing a profile. Experts says that an ideal profile consist of 250 words. 150 words on yourself and 100 words on who you want to meet. Again, this is just a guideline, different guidelines varies with different services.
6. I don’t think many people do this, which will make you stand out. Talk about your life, your pets and talk about what is important to you. People wants to know what you value most in life, let them know.
7. Be positive when writing a profile. No one likes to associate with a negative person. If you are going to mention anything negative, it’s either you don’t talk about it or you find something positive about it and emphasize those.
8. Use more nouns and stories than generic adjectives. Instead of telling about yourself through long narratives, demonstrate the traits via details and stories. For example, instead of saying that you are witty, include witty anecdotes in your profile. Likewise, your profile should not read like a resume. Strive for a casual tone, and mix in plenty of facts and specifics.
9. People are intrigued by details. What are your favorite songs, your favorite movies? What do you do on a Saturday night or what do you like to do on a date? Write in details.
10. When you write about your ideal partner, make sure you don’t limit yourself unnecessarily. Youmay have an ideal about who this person may look like, what she does for a living but any specific traits you mention may limit the potential of finding the right partner.
11. Before submitting your profile, read it aloud to catch any grammar mistakes. remember to do your spell checks for error. Finally, paste your profile into a text only file so that you can submit it to various dating services and communities.
12. Finally, create a log and  take note of the experiences and the response you are getting from the profile. Who have you met? Are they the person you are looking for based on what you have written on your profile? This can help you update your profile accordingly.

So there you have it. It takes some work and thinking to get the right response. As they say, the future is in your hands.