You’ve got to love technology! Add to the hundreds and hundreds of useful (and sometimes not so useful) applications for your iPhone a brand new one that lets you do a fast background check on someone with just a few clicks. Called DateCheck, this ingenious little piece of software lets you put in a person’s name, phone number, or email address, and it will search a variety of web resources to quickly give you a snapshot of the person’s background and life.

DateCheck does this by using the information you plug into it to conduct a web search of multiple sources such as social networking sites, public records, and the like. And boy, does it ever come back with plenty of information! From criminal records to property assets to allowing you to submit ratings for a particular person, DateCheck makes it easy to, well, check someone out.

I really like the way DateCheck categorizes the information it finds, too. The first category is the Sleaze Detector, which is where you will find information about DUIs, sexual offenses, or other criminal issues. Next up is Compatibility, matching their zodiac sign to yours (okay, this one is not very scientific), followed by Net Worth, Living Situation, and Interests. It’s so effective at checking out these categories that if a person owns a home, for instance, you stand a decent chance of being able to tell its number of bedrooms and square footage.

Unfortunately, DateCheck is only available for the iPhone right now, so if you have another kind of mobile phone you’re out of luck. But look on the bright side – if you’ve been looking for an excuse to buy an iPhone this neat little application might just be the reason you need!

Dating Essentials Background Checks, Crime, iPhone, Mobile, Online Safety

Consequently, a lot of people are staying off line, but are also staying single.

The idea of background checks has become a popular selling point for sites like True.com.  By screening all of their singles, members of the site feel safer knowing that they are talking to the ‘real’ person they think they are talking to.

Or are they?

There’s a lot of discussion right now as to whether these background checks are actually all that effective.  After all, thieves and con artists thwart them in other situations, why is it so difficult to believe that they can’t slip past them here too?

Some people are crying ‘foul’ for these background checks as they generally are only a cursory check that doesn’t usually spot the liars.

But with potential new legislation making background checks necessary for online dating, is this combination of events setting up the online dating system for a fall?

If this legislation is enacted, more singles might come online, thinking that online dating is safer.  But since the checks are often meaningless, this might actually increase the dangers of getting online – more people = more problems.

In the next few years, this question is going to be something that people consider before searching for love online.  For if the checks in place aren’t really helping, then what’s the benefit to them?

Happy Valentine’s Day?

News & Views, Personal Profiles Background Checks, Profile, Risks, Trust, Truth

When you’re looking for your Romeo or your Juliet, online dating can be a great starting point. But once you’ve met the ‘perfect’ one for you, does this mean that you need to start paying them too?

Just like any online site, trusting in someone else’s identity online can be a tricky thing. Since you really can’t verify that ‘Romeo’ is who he says he is or that ‘Juliet’ really does live where she says she does, online dating sites have become the next place that con artists are popping up. By pulling you in with promises and proclamations of love, you can begin to feel that you have found your perfect mate…and then they want you to wire money to them.

Here’s the thing, yes there are situations in which this person may very well need the money they’re asking for. They might also really want you to help them out, but when it comes to sending a lot of money to someone you don’t know, you are probably just being duped into the latest scam. Though it may not be as obvious as the Nigerian scam, you need to be suspicious of anyone asking you for money.

You also want to be on the lookout for anyone that wants you to cash any checks, hold any goods, etc. While you might really trust the other person, you may also become an unwitting member of a crime – and that’s not what love is for.

If you begin to feel that the person you’re talking to may be a scam artist, let your online dating website know so they can take action. If you still have concerns, you can alway choose one of the dating services that pre-screen members which ensures that they are who they say they are. Take a look at HonestyFirst.com or GE-Dating.com for examples of such sites.

Diary Background Checks, Scams, Trust