Online Dating for Senior Citizens - Tips for Success and Safety
Now, at 50 you may not consider yourself a senior citizen. You may even consider yourself "young". There is nothing wrong with that, and it is actually a healthy outlook. Though this article is for singles over 50, the word "senior" may pop up often. No offense intended; it is simply because most senior dating sites' minimum age is 50.
It was Jeanne Moreau that said "Age does not protect you from love. But love, to some extent, protects you from age." Well said, but we might say, "love and fun, to some extent, protects you from age". With online dating for senior citizens you can get both; love and fun.
The first thing in senior online dating is mental preparedness: make sure you are ready to date and be ready to have fun.
Next, sign up with a good and reputable dating site. While general dating sites are okay, it is better to go with an age-appropriate site (unless, of course, you're looking for young blood). Having recognized the need for senior singles to meet each other, dating services for older singles are now available. And they are bursting with activity.
The advantage of signing up with a senior online dating service is that you will not have to worry about competition from younger folks. You also know for sure that everybody on that site is single and available.
And while you are at it, it would be advisable to avoid free dating sites. Why? One word: safety.
You see, older singles are a favorite target for crooks and scam artists. The presumption, right or wrong, is that an older single is desperate and therefore more vulnerable.
Scam artists like to post fake profiles using stolen photographs. They will tell everything you want to hear and the next thing you know you are minus a good chunk of money, or worse. They like to hang out in free sites because... well, they are free and the scam artist can afford to have several fake profiles in each site as well as sign up with multiple sites.
This is not to say that paid dating sites are 100 percent safe: even your local place of worship would not make such a claim. But with a paid site, the paper trail left by use of a credit card means that a crooked member can be traced unless the credit card is a stolen one.
Avoid giving out personal information too soon. If someone starts asking lots of personal questions, such as your mailing address, place of work and the like, consider this a red flag and cut off all communication with that person.
Also to be on the lookout for is someone who suddenly starts having all kinds of problems that require money. This includes claims of being stuck overseas or suddenly falling ill.
The size and quality of a dating service also matters. While there a new dating sites that are good - even the oldest one was new at one time - it is safer to go with an older dating site. You can be assured that if a dating service has been around for a while, it is doing something right.
Online dating for senior citizens should be approached with a positive outlook. With the right attitude, you can meet lots of interesting older singles who are not afraid to announce their availability. So, go there and have fun!