Online dating offers a fun and secure environment to meet and relate with other online singles or friends. It’s also a great place to build loving and trusting friendships that can lead to lasting, offline relationships. Whether you decide to correspond with members online or meet members offline, please use sound judgment and be responsible for your conduct. In both the virtual and real worlds, common sense is your best safety tool.

1. Rilek-rilek laa.. mai kan cheong... Watch out for someone who seems too good to be true. Begin by communicating solely via email. Be on the lookout for odd behavior or inconsistencies. "Listen" to your correspondent’s words. The person at the other end may not be who or what he/she says. Trust your instincts. If anything makes you uncomfortable, walk away for your own safety and protection.

2. Jaga you punya anonymity. All correspondence between AnakMelayu.com members takes place through our double-blind email system. Never include your last name, real email address, home address, phone number, place of work or any other identifying information in your profile or initial emails. When corresponding with an AnakMelayu.com member, kalau boleh make sure you email address yang lain, selain dari email address yang selalu you pakai. Kalau dah malas nak layan, tukar jer email address...

3. Jangan luper pakai otak. Careful, well-thought decisions generally lead to better results in dating, and this is certainly true with online dating too. Guard against trusting the untrustworthy. Any suitor must earn your trust gradually, through consistently honorable, forthright behavior. Your job is to take all the time you need to test for a trustworthy person, and pay careful attention along the way. If you think someone is lying, it is likely that they are, so act accordingly. Conduct yourself and your romances in a responsible manner. Don’t fall in love at the click of a mouse. Don’t become prematurely intimate with someone, even if that intimacy only occurs online.

4. Kalau boleh mintak gambar sebelom jumpa. A photo will give you a good idea of the person's appearance, which may prove helpful in achieving a gut feeling about your correspondent. In fact, it’s best to view several images of this person in a variety of settings: casual, formal, indoor and outdoors. If he or she continuously comes up with an excuse, it may be because that person has something to hide.

5. Bebual pat talipon dulu. A phone call can reveal much about a person’s communication and social skills. It is worth the cost of the call to protect your security, but do not give out your personal phone number to a stranger. Try a cell phone number instead for added security. Only when you feel completely comfortable should you furnish your phone number.

6. Only meet kalau YOU are ready. The beauty of meeting and relating online is that you can gradually collect information and then make a choice about pursuing the relationship in the offline world. You are never obligated to meet anyone, regardless of your level of online intimacy. And even if you do decide to arrange a meeting, you always have the right to change your mind. It’s possible that your decision to keep the relationship at the anonymous level is based on a hunch that you can’t logically explain. Trust yourself. Go with your gut instincts, even when they can’t be logically explained.

7. Sambil-sambil la scan kawan tu dulu. Pay attention to any displays of anger, intense frustration or attempts at pressuring or controlling you. Acting in a passive-aggressive manner, making demeaning or disrespectful comments or any physically inappropriate behavior are all red flags. You should also be concerned if your date exhibits any of the following conduct without providing an acceptable explanation:

· Provides inconsistent information about age, interests, appearance, marital status, profession, employment, etc.
· Refuses to speak to you on the phone after establishing ongoing, online intimacy.
· Fails to provide direct answers to direct questions.
Appears in person to be significantly different from his or her online persona.
· Never introduces you to friends, professional associates or family members.

8. Choose tempat yang ramai orang! When you make the choice to meet offline, always tell someone where you are going and when you will return. Leave your date’s name and telephone number with that person. Never arrange for your date to pick you up at home. Provide your own transportation, meet in a public place at a time when many people are present, and when the date is over, leave on your own as well. A familiar restaurant or coffee shop, at a time when a lot of other people will be present, is often a fine choice. If you decide to move to another location, take your own car. When the timing is appropriate, thank your date for getting together and say goodbye.

9. Jangan takut kalau nak belah... Never do anything you feel unsure about. If you are in any way afraid of your date, use your best judgment to diffuse the situation and get out of there. Excuse yourself long enough to call a friend for advice, ask someone else on the scene for help or slip out the back door and drive away. If you feel you are in danger call the police; it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Never worry or feel embarrassed about your behavior. Your safety is much more important than one person’s opinion of you.

10. Dalam dunia nie, kadang-kadang ader penipu, penyangak, pembohong dan macam-macam lagik. While liars, cheaters and imposters certainly ply their craft on the web, you’ll also find them in nightclubs, among the membership ranks of off-line dating services, at cocktail parties, and occasionally sitting across from you at your local café. Regardless of where, or how, you meet someone, dating is never a risk-free activity. A little caution will reduce your risk in these matters of the heart.