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Don’t be “Catfished” for Valentine’s Day – 5 Steps to Help Avoid Online Dating Deception

Julie Ferman

Did your online lover turn out to be a young boy playing a prank or an imposter? As in the documentary film and reality TV show “Catfish”, some people go to elaborate lengths to misrepresent themselves online and “hook” you into relationship. Eventually meeting the imposter can be heartbreaking and worse.

Julie Ferman, eLove’s Chief Relationship Expert, founder of Cupid’s Coach, and recipient of iDate’s Best Matchmaker award for the fourth consecutive year, shares five steps to help avoid this cruel deception:

Avoid the “bait and switch”. Photos that look too good to be true probably are. Those looking to deceive have no qualms about letting you believe they look like the image they have shared. They want to draw you in, and the easiest way to do so is by misrepresenting themselves with an attractive image that often doesn’t resemble the real person in the slightest.

Play the sleuth, if you haven’t already. Cross-reference your date’s information on his/her Facebook page with Twitter, their personal blog or with a professional page such as LinkedIn. If they make a claim that they hold a high profile job, visit that company’s website to see if staff is listed. At the very least, do a simple Google or white page search for your date to verify if they even live in the town, or the state, that they say they do.

Let video speak the truth. Seek authentication. Forgo chatting online via Facebook and encourage video chatting online via FaceTime, Skype, Gmail or iGoogle.

Meet in person. Period. There really is no valid excuse for carrying on a relationship with someone for longer than two weeks and not meeting in person. If all your suggestions of meeting in person and/or video chatting online are skillfully avoided and something always comes up which prevents the two of you meeting, then you should be very concerned and seriously consider ending the relationship.

Assume the best, prepare for the worst. Most people are good, honorable and safe to meet. Don’t be so cautious that you wall yourself off in your closet. Have the courage to get out there, attend events, meet up at business functions and online too. But do take these precautions to protect yourself in case you stumble upon a predator as they are indeed out there.

“No one likes to be deceived or ‘catfished’. A successful relationship is based on a number of things, but most important are: spending time (in person) together, truthfulness, honesty, respect and ultimately, the concern or care you have for that other person. Misrepresentation plays no role in a successful relationship,” explained Ms. Ferman.

She continued, “When it comes to helping others meet, find love and enjoy a successful long-term relationship, we take steps to ensure authenticity. Prior to making an introduction, we meet face-to-face with both parties and verify their identity. Then we go to great lengths to get to know each member and introduce them to qualified matches. After each date, we obtain feedback from both parties immediately.”

eLove is All You Need

eLove was honored with four coveted awards from iDate, including Best Matchmaker, Most Innovative Company, Best Dating Coach, and Best Affiliate Program.eLove is the first “life stage company” within the dating industry to provide different levels of dating services, based on how serious singles are about meeting their soul mate. Never before has a dating service catered so completely to everyone regardless of their age, sex, or relationship goals. With more than 35 matchmaking offices in 19 states and three offices in Canada, eLove Matchmaking is everything that singles have been wishing for whether they are looking for better quality dating experiences or a long term relationship.

Elove’s Matchmaking offices are located in: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, and in Canada: Calgary, Mississauga, Edmonton.

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If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview, please call Terry Fitzpatrick at 781-982-4522 or email pr@elovecorp.com.

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Valentine’s Day is around the corner. eLove Matchmaker explains true meaning of Romance

Paul A. Falzone, CEO of eLove Matchmaking

The first Valentine greeting was sent by a priest known as Valentine in third century Rome to his jailor’s daughter, whom he fell in love with while in prison. How could such an endearing message of love evolve into the parade of elaborate gifts and hype of today?

Paul A. Falzone, CEO of eLove Matchmaking, one of the largest professional introduction companies in the world, explains, “A candlelit dinner and a dozen roses is a sweet gesture, but everybody does it. Dining out has become commonplace. The true meaning of romance lies in originality. Your ‘message of love’ has to be personal and really mean something to the recipient.”

Falzone gives examples of a few romantic gestures that may give you some of your own creative ideas:

Say it with flowers – all year long. You know your sweetheart loves white hydrangeas no matter what the season. Arrange a monthly delivery of her favorite flower for a full year with your florist, with the first delivery beginning on Valentine’s Day. Not telling her that she’ll receive a beautiful arrangement every month is part of the romantic surprise.

Say “you’re special to me” by knowing what s/he likes the most. Maybe she loves live theater, but always seems to miss out on shows because she waits until the last minute to get tickets. Get her season tickets and then escort her.

Support his/her dreams. Perhaps he mentioned that mountain climbing was something he always dreamed about doing. You don’t need to climb the mountain with him, but you might give him a piece of equipment he’ll need to do it or a membership to a climbing club. Supporting his dreams is romantic.

Revisit a special place. On your third date, you went on a picnic on a hill overlooking the town and watched the sunset. That’s the day when you both knew you were serious about each other. You may not be able to recreate the entire scene, but it’s romantic to do it again in honor of that special day.

“Giving jewelry or other big ticket gifts on Valentine’s Day seems to be the norm, but romance is a little more than that. It’s easy to go a store and buy a gift. It’s more about knowing your sweetheart and making a very personal gesture. It’s going out of your way to let them know they are special to you,” said Falzone.

Off-beat Date Contest

Have a great, “offbeat date” story? eLove Matchmaking is holding a Valentine’s Day contest and may publish it online at elovemagazine.com. Email your “Best Offbeat Date” story to eLove Matchmaking at pr@elove.com.

eLove is all you need

With more than 50 matchmaking offices in 25 states, eLove Matchmaking is everything that singles have been wishing for. eLove Matchmaking was voted “#1 Matchmaker” in 2010 and 2011 and their professional matchmakers have paired literally thousands of singles over the past three decades. In addition to a one-on-one meeting with each member, eLove conducts thorough background checks for the safety of everyone they match.

eLove Matchmaking offices are located in: Arizona (Scottsdale/Phoenix); Arkansas (Bentonville, Fort Smith, Little Rock); California (Costa Mesa, Palo Alto, Sacramento, Walnut Creek, San Diego, Santa Rosa, Westlake, West Hollywood); Connecticut (Glastonbury, Stamford); Illinois (Chicago, Normal, Schaumburg); Indiana (Carmel, Ft. Wayne); Kansas (Overland Park, Wichita); Maryland (Columbia, Frederick); Massachusetts (Newton, Norwell, Shrewsbury, Stoneham); Michigan (Bingham Farms); Minnesota (Bloomington); Missouri (Springfield, St. Louis); Nebraska (Lincoln, Omaha); Nevada (Las Vegas); New Jersey (Iselin, Saddle Brook); Ohio (Cincinnati); Oklahoma (Broken Arrow, Oklahoma City, Tulsa); Pennsylvania (Mechanicsburg, King of Prussia); Rhode Island (Warwick); South Carolina (Greenville); Tennessee (Memphis, Franklin); Texas (Austin, San Antonio); Virginia (Falls Church, Richmond); Wisconsin (Appleton, Elm Grove, Madison).

For more information on eLove, visit www.elove.com.

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