Internet chat rooms are a great place to meet new friends, to spend some time, and who knows, you may even meet the love of your life there. It is said that everyone who has access to the internet will use a chat room at least once in their lifetime, and one of the most popular things people use them is for online dating. There are thousands of chat rooms available these days, and most of them are free. You can use them on any device you want, and there are even applications available for smart device users only. As you can see, these places have a way of getting people to use them and to come back, but this begs the question, are there any dangers when we are using these websites?
In this article, we are going to tell you more about some of the negative sides of chat rooms and we will mention some of the things you need to pay attention to. Follow our list to stay safe and protected no matter which website you are using.
1. Catfishing
Internet chat rooms are interesting, you can spend some time meeting new people and sharing the issues that you cannot share with people close to you. It is said that is easier to tell your life to a stranger than to reveal the deepest parts of your soul to someone who’s known you for years.
Unfortunately, not everyone you meet is going to be as honest as you are. By definition, catfishing is the process when one person portrays to be someone they are not. This can mean they lie about their age, gender, location, social status, and so on. The reason why people do this can be anything. From boosting their own ego, up to malicious thoughts, and wanting to scam you.
If you get close you someone you’ve met online, you need to have a vetting process to find out if they are really the person they say they are. You can do this by having a voice call, or even better, a video chat. If you want to meet someone you’ve met online, always check their background information before you do that.
2. Scamming
As we mentioned before, there are many people who use online sites to lure someone else in and to gain something from them. People have been known to try and get money from the other person, as well as other material or personal goods.
Even though most of the websites are safe, you can never be too sure. If you want to check out some new sites and explore the possibilities of the internet, you should always check what you are getting into. Websites like SexCamSiteReviews.com allow you to check out the reviews of many popular places that you may be interested in using.
To protect yourself from scammers and people who want to exploit you, you should put the boundaries right away. Don’t talk to people who want to get money out of you, who will only talk to you if you send them gifts, and never agree to send pictures or videos of you if you are not comfortable with that.
3. Blackmail
It is well known that people use chat rooms to have some fun, and that type of fun may sometimes include adult content. The sad reality is that people who are married or in a committed relationship decide to roam the internet hoping to find like-minded people with whom they’d share personal images and videos.
There are a lot of issues with this, starting from every moral rule, but there are even bigger consequences you may run into if you decide to share your personal pictures with a random person you’ve met online.
We’ve all heard about people who’ve been exposed after sharing pictures or videos, so you should never do that, especially if you are not single. Protect your information and your privacy, and in case you want to do that, use safe and encrypted websites that will not let the other person download and use the image.
4. Identity theft
When we get close to someone, we believe that they have our best interest, but the reality is, not everyone is as nice as they portray to be. Many people are using online dating sites to steal the identity of the other person.
Because of this, you should never, no matter how much you trust the other person, share your personal information with them. You can tell them your first and last name and maybe your phone number, but that’s about it. Never share your bank account information or your social security number. If they are trying to gain this information, they probably want to harm you, so you should walk away.
5. Predators
Last but not least, we have a really sensitive subject that many people try to overlook. It is a known fact that predators roam the chat rooms and that they have a way of luring young children and teenagers in. We know that the police and the governments in every country are doing everything they can to prevent this, but bad people exist.
To protect your children you need to be open with them and teach them about the red flags. If needed, monitor what they are doing and use spy services to find out who they are talking with. It is better to stay safe and to micromanage everything than to wonder what if.
Online sites are great, they are fun and they can bring a lot of positive things in your life. Just like every other place, they have their positive and negative sides. To stay safe and protected, always vet the site before you visit it and never share personal information with strangers. If needed, don’t use your real name and profile picture, and share that information only with people you really trust.
If you decide to meet with someone you’ve met in a chat room, always do that in a public place, and have at least one other person know where you are at all times.
