Online dating is fantastic but you do need to be careful. Not everyone is as honest as they may at first seem. Recent research was carried out by online identity experts Garlik and revealed the following (scary) statistics:
Nearly half of Britain's 4.7 million online daters are the victim of harassment, fraud and scams, new research shows.
The study found one in 10 Brits has used an online dating agency or internet chat room for socialising.
But almost half (46%) have fallen victim to foul play, including suffering from online harassment (11%).
One third have been lied to about the appearance of someone they are dating online (37%).
And, somewhat surprisingly, men (21%) are almost twice as likely to online date as women (12%).
"Online dating is a way of life for a growing number of Brits and it's a fun, and often very safe, way to meet new people," chief executive Tom Ilube said.
"Unfortunately, at the same time online fraudsters are moving away from simple email scams to more sophisticated and cynical techniques.
"They include building relationships online, sometimes over several months of careful grooming, and then asking for money or stealing identities.
"All of us need to wake up quickly to this new wave of online fraud." Make sure you're taking precautions
The findings also reveal online daters are giving out personal details like their date of birth (44%), mobile number (22%), and address (14%).
This is putting many at risk of identity fraud and worse.
Are you taking online dating precautions?
* Don't post or give away any information that you would not give to a stranger.
* Do your research - if someone you are dating online tells you about a company he/she works for, then look it up online.
* Don't reveal too much - avoid giving away your full date of birth or posting your mobile phone number or email addresses online.
* Ask a friend to have a quick look at bits of your online dating conversations. A good friend will tell you pretty quickly if something looks wrong.
Science can help determine whether a relationship will last.
Cupid's chemicals
Flushed cheeks, a racing heart beat and clammy hands are some of the outward signs of being in love. But inside the body there are definite chemical signs that cupid has fired his arrow.
When it comes to love it seems we are at the mercy of our biochemistry. One of the best known researchers in this area is Helen Fisher of Rutgers University in New Jersey. She has proposed that we fall in love in three stages. Each involving a different set of chemicals.
Authors Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider turned the dating world upside down with their 1995 bestseller *The Rules*, telling women that they needed to play hard to get to reel in Mr. Right.
In their new book, *The Rules For Online Dating*, they apply their relationship advice to cyberspace providing a list of do's and don'ts for successful computer romances. They visited CBS / The Early Show to talk about it.
Now this may come as a surprise to some, or it may be simply confirmation of what many of us already knew...
According to a new study, many people tell 'little white lies' on their profiles, lying about things like age, height, and weight.
Using a new method that measured the actual difference between profile information and reality, the study revealed that men systematically overestimated their height, while women more commonly underestimated their weight.
'Surprisingly, age-related deception was minimal and did not differ by gender,' said Jeffrey Hancock, an assistant professor of communication at Cornell University and lead author of the study. The study will be published in the April 2007 issue of Proceedings of Computer/Human Interaction.
So, tread warily and remember not everybody may be quite the size, shape, or temperament that they claim to be. Read our dating tips for some safety advice.
We came across this excellent article and wanted to share it with you...
About Men
Why won’t men commit? This seems to be the oldest question in the book. For years women have been trying to figure out what goes on in the minds of men. There are several reasons why men won’t commit. We will explore a few of those infamous reasons.
Men are very funny. They believe the world should revolve around them. If they find a woman who will conform to their lifestyle, then it’s easy to get them to commit to a relationship. The issue here of course, is that most women will not conform – nor should they – to any man’s lifestyle.
About Women
How do I get a woman to respond to me The reason men don’t do well with women is mainly because men do not understand women. This sounds so easy but in fact, it is very difficult. Women love to be wooed. If you think that coming up to a woman and spitting out, "Hey babe, I’m the guy you have been looking for all your life" is going to work, think again.
The first and foremost way to get a woman to respond to you is to simply be yourself. Don’t try all those stupid, moronic pickup lines. Give women a little more credit. When approaching a woman, act natural and do not, I repeat, do not, try to pick her up. Just smile and be happy. This is the biggest attraction a man can have when first meeting a woman. Keep it light and fun. The more fun you are, the more chance you have of actually having the woman respond to you. If you act like you are trying to pick up the woman, she is not going to respond to you. Nobody wants to be "picked up," except, of course, men, who love to be "picked up" because it’s great for their egos.
About Women
How to be nice when you are being asked out This will be short and straight to the point. I don’t care who is asking you out, your response must be humane. As you all know, asking someone out is the hardest thing most people will ever do in their lifetime. Everyone, no matter how old or good looking, fears rejection.
So when someone approaches you for a date, be polite and courteous. Remember, that could be you on the other end. Instead of thinking to yourself, "I wouldn’t go out with that geek if you paid me," be flattered someone put themselves in that vulnerable position on your behalf.
Click here to read the full article. Hope you enjoy.
We thought you might be interested in what exactly the Data Protection Act means to you. It is a subject very dear to our hearts at ukCupid. This is the summary of the principles of Data Protection as described on the Information Commissioner's web site.
"Anyone processing personal data must comply with the eight enforceable principles of good practice. They say that data must be:
- fairly and lawfully processed; - processed for limited purposes; - adequate, relevant and not excessive; - accurate; - not kept longer than necessary; - processed in accordance with the data subject's rights; - secure; - not transferred to countries without adequate protection.
Personal data covers both facts and opinions about the individual. It also includes information regarding the intentions of the data controller towards the individual, although in some limited circumstances exemptions will apply. With processing, the definition is far wider than before. For example, it incorporates the concepts of 'obtaining', holding' and 'disclosing'."
The Full explanation of the principles can be found here
It really isn't that difficult to shop for women. Most of them love flowers, chocolate and perfume. You really can't go wrong by buying one of those for your wife or girlfriend. But is it what she really wants?
If you listen closely and pay good attention to what she is saying, you can discover what gift would make her overjoyed. However, don't expect her to drop hints on command. You must be listening for the clues at all times. She may indicate something she desires in May but you need to buy her something for her birthday in October.
Listen and watch for the clues and if necessary, write them down so when it comes gift buying time, you will know exactly what to purchase. Notice what she pampers herself with: tickets to the opera, coffee table books, new CDs, trips to the spa, etc.
Have you ever noticed how she admires a piece of clothing or jewelry in a store’s window display or on someone else? Does she look at magazines and show you an advertisement and say "wouldn't this look great in our dining room" or "I would like to have something like this one day." How about the time you went over to another couple's house and she really admired something there. A word of caution - just because she liked your neighbor’s bread machine doesn’t mean she would like one for an anniversary or special occasion. If you want to buy her a bread machine and surprise her with it one Sunday morning with a fresh loaf of bread baking in it, that would be fine. But don’t give appliances or other impersonal gifts for special occasions!
Hopefully, the next time she opens one of your gifts she won't say "you shouldn't have" -- and really mean it.
Michael Webb is author of The RoMANtic's Guide: Hundreds of Creative Tips for a Lifetime of Love. You can order at Amazon.com or for more of Michael's FREE tips, visit TheRomantic.com
Most of us have had a secret admirer at some time in our lives. It was a great ego booster to know someone had a crush on you. While it shouldn't be any secret that you love your spouse, it would be an ego booster for him or her to know that you still have a "crush" on them.
Remember those love notes passed around in class, sometimes sent anonymously? Why not pen a secret admirer note to your wife or husband. As long as it is in your handwriting it won't really be a secret, but I don't think any man or woman would want someone else sending anonymous love notes to their mate. Mail the note to them at work or place it somewhere in the house or car where they are certain to find it.
If you are able to arrange it, have the note direct your sweetheart to meet their "secret admirer" at a particular location and time for a rendezvous. It could be for lunch, a cocktail, a romantic weekend at a nearby hotel, a stroll through the park, or some other meeting place.
Keep the crush alive!
Michael Webb is author of The RoMANtic's Guide: Hundreds of Creative Tips for a Lifetime of Love. You can order at Amazon.com or for more of Michael's FREE tips, visit TheRomantic.com
Well, we tried to resist and maintain our focus entirely on UK singles but...
Due to overwhelming demand from UK single men, we have negotiated an affiliation with A Pretty Woman. This partnership allows us to provide access to hundreds of Russian women looking for relationships with men from other counries, including the UK.
As with all links to external websites, we cannot vouch for the service provided by A Pretty Woman and you should bear this in mind when visiting their site and/or employing their services. However, we do believe they are a reputable, well established company with an excellent track record.
Here is an extract from their web site:
"Our goal is not just to bring people together, but to assist in every way possible, in making it all go smoothly along the way. Indeed, we have clients that have found happiness through us, who would never have met each other had it not been for our efforts. Our greatest satisfaction is your success and happiness, and we strive at all times to achieve that goal for all our clients. We are always ready to give assistance and to help you find, meet and marry your dream girl."
So, if a relationship with a Russian woman is what you believe you want, then please do take the time to have a look at A Pretty Woman
A blog is a web page made up of (usually short), frequently updated posts that are arranged chronologically—like a what's new page or a journal.
Many blogs are collaborative efforts based on a specific topic or area of mutual interest - in this case uk dating.
Blogs are also excellent team, department or company communication tools. They help small groups communicate in a way that is simpler and easier to follow than email or discussion forums.
We have created this blog to allow ukCupid team members to post related links, files, quotes, or commentary.
A blog can help keep everyone in the loop, promote cohesiveness and group culture, and provide an informal "voice". To that end, you are able to post comments and responses relating to all the entries in our blog - so don't be shy, get posting now!
