# Online Dating Sites & Professional Match Making Services



## Lon (Jun 9, 2015)

Have any members used either. Tell us your experience with either one.


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## Ameriscot (Jun 9, 2015)

I've told this before, but I met my husband through an online dating service back in 1999.  Worked for us. And he was on the other side of the pond.


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## Falcon (Jun 9, 2015)

Never used one.


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## QuickSilver (Jun 9, 2015)

Match.com for us..  we've been married 12 years


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## applecruncher (Jun 9, 2015)

No, but I know of several married couples who first met online.  It can work – whether you’re just looking for casual dating or a long-term commitment.

But, Lon, please promise us that if a woman asks you to loan her money until her inheritance/tax refund/lawsuit settlement comes thru you will RUN.
nthego:


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## Kadee (Jun 9, 2015)

I have been teaching a local man in his early 50's how to use the computer.....He is single, never married !! yesterday he partly signed up to a senior singles site, he latter phoned me as he wanted and ask a few questions ?? he had immediately on lodging his profile ,received an email from a interested lady who liked him!!! he didn't add a photo as he is not quite up to knowing how to do that yet!!  
This woman forwarded him her "personal" email address and full name ..........Am I being cautious on his behalf advising him to be careful ????? I don't wish to interfere with his business , ( in my working life I took care of people with disabilities) He has some major health issues and I feel like protecting him, however on the the other hand I say to myself DONT get involved !!!  I looked up the Senior Singles site they advise not to give your personal details. I have been married almost 30 years and don't understand the single scene it has changed dramatically  since I was out "there" looking for a friend !!


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## AZ Jim (Jun 9, 2015)

Years ago it was bars and churches.  The workplace for working people.  I have no need for such a service but if I did, it would be most likely, BARS!!!!!


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## Shalimar (Jun 9, 2015)

Jim, HaHaHaHa.


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## Butterfly (Jun 9, 2015)

Kadee46 said:


> I have been teaching a local man in his early 50's how to use the computer.....He is single, never married !! yesterday he partly signed up to a senior singles site, he latter phoned me as he wanted and ask a few questions ?? he had immediately on lodging his profile ,received an email from a interested lady who liked him!!! he didn't add a photo as he is not quite up to knowing how to do that yet!!
> This woman forwarded him her "personal" email address and full name ..........Am I being cautious on his behalf advising him to be careful ????? I don't wish to interfere with his business , ( in my working life I took care of people with disabilities) He has some major health issues and I feel like protecting him, however on the the other hand I say to myself DONT get involved !!!  I looked up the Senior Singles site they advise not to give your personal details. I have been married almost 30 years and don't understand the single scene it has changed dramatically  since I was out "there" looking for a friend !!



If I were you, I'd advise him to  be VERY careful, and not to divulge personal information, like his name, address, and certainly not that he has medical issues.  He could be a perfect mark for someone seeking to do him ill.


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## Shalimar (Jun 9, 2015)

Kadee, I agree with Butterfly, regretably, there are predators of both sexes out there. He needs to be more circumspect.


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## jujube (Jun 9, 2015)

I used Match.com and Eharmony, with results ranging from ok through bleh to arrrrgggghhhh!!!   I met my boyfriend of six years through Plentyoffish, which is actually a horrible site (seems mostly for "hook-ups" and geared to the younger crowd) but it was free and I thought why not?   He was the right age, wanted the same things in life and I decided to go for it.  Glad I did.


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## Ralphy1 (Jun 10, 2015)

Hmmm, isn't he overlooking the obvious?


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## Kadee (Jun 10, 2015)

Ralphy1 said:


> Hmmm, isn't he overlooking the obvious?


I guess he will learn one day  :shrug:, he just phoned me asking me to try to sort out his heaps of replies from the lady in question , wonder if she has told him yet about her sick relatives, or the money tied up in a overseas company that she needs his financial help with to release her millions.
I only volunteered to teach him to use the computer to use the Internet to search things like eBay, send and read  email as I don't have the time to mess about trying to sort out the obvious day after day..


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## QuickSilver (Jun 10, 2015)

As for looking for a mate in bars???  There's an old saying..  You don't pick peaches off a Lemon Tree.


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## Ralphy1 (Jun 10, 2015)

But lemonade ain't bad neither...


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## QuickSilver (Jun 10, 2015)

Ralphy1 said:


> But lemonade ain't bad neither...



Yeah... but if you don't have water and sugar... your lemonade is gonna suck


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## Ralphy1 (Jun 10, 2015)

Sometimes you just got to take it the way you get it...


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## Victor (Jun 10, 2015)

I used Plenty of Fish and did not even get a date after a long time waiting. A waste of time and my hopes are now gone.
I changed my headline  and rewrote my ad many times. I met a few people on phone and in person but no one I had
much in common with. I do not recommend it to men, perhaps women. (More men than women on site.)

Cupid.com was also a waste of time. I could name others too. Very few worthwhile ads for guys in their sixties.


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## QuickSilver (Jun 10, 2015)

Victor said:


> I used Plenty of Fish and did not even get a date after a long time waiting. A waste of time and my hopes are now gone.
> I changed my headline  and rewrote my ad many times. I met a few people on phone and in person but no one I had
> much in common with. I do not recommend it to men, perhaps women. (More men than women on site.)
> 
> Cupid.com was also a waste of time. I could name others too. Very few worthwhile ads for guys in their sixties.



Depends what you mean by "worthwhile" ads..   Oh.boy...  if you could have seen the picture my husband posted of himself on Match..  Fortunately, I was not looking for good looks, because it was really, really bad..  I was more interested in the words he was writing.... and his understanding and kindness.  In my silly youth, he is not the kind of guy I would have been attracted to..  Fortunately as I aged, I was no longer interested in that type.  I found an uncut diamond on my 3rd try.


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## LogicsHere (Jun 10, 2015)

Tried one back in the 90s that no longer exists.  Met terrible people, not looking for commitment of any type.  Gave up on the search early 2001 when I came to the conclusion that the quality of the men who seemed to respond to my ad, were dirt bags and not serious about any kind of a commited relationship with the exception of a physical one.

Got tired of having to fight off the date rapes.


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## applecruncher (Jun 10, 2015)

LogicsHere, also……a lot of married men (and some women) post on dating sites. They often use fake pictures.  They figure they’ll just have some fun, maybe diddle around with emails, and when they’re pinned down for a personal meet they hem and haw and delay or just bail/disappear.  I go to another forum where there’s an entire section about online dating issues.  Some of the stories …..wow.


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## QuickSilver (Jun 10, 2015)

Yeah... and a whole bunch of married men... and women go to bars.. sans wedding rings too.   On line dating is no more dangerous or nefarious than meeting someone any where else..  AND at our ages.. hanging in bars not very appealing..  I'll stand by my statements..  You have to use common sense whenever, or wherever you meet a stranger.


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## applecruncher (Jun 10, 2015)

QuickSilver said:


> Yeah... and a whole bunch of married men... and women go to bars.. sans wedding rings too. *On line dating is no more dangerous or nefarious than meeting someone any where else..* AND at our ages.. hanging in bars not very appealing.. I'll stand by my statements.. You have to use common sense whenever, or wherever you meet a stranger.



True. My sister thinks meeting a man thru church guarantees success and true love. Won't bother to tell you how that's worked out. Can a person find Mr/Ms Right at church?  Sure. Also at the grocery store or library. Regardless of how people initially meet, sometimes get all excited about 'having someone' and common sense flies out the window.


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## QuickSilver (Jun 10, 2015)

applecruncher said:


> True.  My sister thinks meeting a man thru church guarantees success and true love.  Won't bother to tell you how that's worked out. Regardless of how people initially meet, sometimes get all excited about 'having someone' and common sense flies out the window.



Ain't that the truth...  Lot's of stories out there about preachers kids.


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## applecruncher (Jun 10, 2015)

I often have court shows on TV in the background.  It never ceases to amaze me how people will let someone move in after knowing them a very short period of time.  Often there are kids involved (shudder). Then come the loans, or they buy the person a cell phone.  Hey – if I was hunting for someone to date, someone who can’t even get themselves a cheap cell phone is someone I don’t need in my life.


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## oldman (Jun 11, 2015)

I knew a pilot that wanted to have a "girlfriend" in each city where he flew into, so he joined a dating site. He put a picture of himself in his uniform up with his resume, so a lot of ladies were immediately attracted to him. He must have had over a 100 responses after just a few days. So many, in fact, that he scrubbed the idea. He said that he didn't have time to go through them all and make contacts and set up dates. He was also afraid that he would call them by wrong names, getting them confused with one another.


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## QuickSilver (Jun 11, 2015)

If so inclined, men have been having a "girl in every port" since time began...  Perhaps the online "shopping" has made it more convenient, but it's certainly not a new phenomenon.


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## LynnD (Jun 11, 2015)

oldman said:


> I knew a pilot that wanted to have a "girlfriend" in each city where he flew into, so he joined a dating site. He put a picture of himself in his uniform up with his resume, so a lot of ladies were immediately attracted to him. He must have had over a 100 responses after just a few days. So many, in fact, that he scrubbed the idea. He said that he didn't have time to go through them all and make contacts and set up dates. He was also afraid that he would call them by wrong names, getting them confused with one another.




Maybe a few STDs as well!!


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## Kadee (Jun 11, 2015)

Sorry in advance if this is a little off topic  however I would like some advise!! Kev who I mentioned in an earlier post on this subject who had just joined online dating site, came to my home yesterday to try to sort him out, His new " Love" had insisted he communicate with her through Yahoo,that sent  Alarm bells ringing in my head.... However he is taken in by the photo of a 50 year old?? That looks more like a model in her 30's oh well some have all.the luck in the looks department ....He invited me to read her introductory letter to him where "she" mentioned recently moving to Sydney from England , after inheriting her parents home in the Sydney rocks area.. ( a very expencive area of Sydney) She mentions she only has two sisters however further down the poorly written letter, for a lady who claims to be well educated in England, "She" mentions a brother. I feel he has been taken in by a scammer, the whole letter appeared to be copied and pasted....I'd Iike to say to Kev Run as fast as you can he is a 52 year man, who looks more like a 60 year old.... What is the best advise I can give him . He is reasonably easy to get on with ..but I don't want to sound like his mother ...telling off a naughty child, it's not his fault. He has encountered a obivious scammer .. "She" had sent him 28 Emails in 24 hours ...I only skimmed over them most of them were contradictory


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## applecruncher (Jun 11, 2015)

QuickSilver said:


> If so inclined, men have been having a "girl in every port" since time began... Perhaps the online "shopping" has made it more convenient, but it's certainly not a new phenomenon.



Ain’t _that _the truth.  If a man (or woman) is inclined to mess around, they’re gonna find ways to do it.  The internet may make it a bit easier and increase the volume of prospects but they were doing it with phone chat lines, pen pals, the personals in magazines & newspapers, ….whatever.


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## Butterfly (Jun 11, 2015)

Kadee46 said:


> Sorry in advance if this is a little off topic  however I would like some advise!! Kev who I mentioned in an earlier post on this subject who had just joined online dating site, came to my home yesterday to try to sort him out, His new " Love" had insisted he communicate with her through Yahoo,that sent  Alarm bells ringing in my head.... However he is taken in by the photo of a 50 year old?? That looks more like a model in her 30's oh well some have all.the luck in the looks department ....He invited me to read her introductory letter to him where "she" mentioned recently moving to Sydney from England , after inheriting her parents home in the Sydney rocks area.. ( a very expencive area of Sydney) She mentions she only has two sisters however further down the poorly written letter, for a lady who claims to be well educated in England, "She" mentions a brother. I feel he has been taken in by a scammer, the whole letter appeared to be copied and pasted....I'd Iike to say to Kev Run as fast as you can he is a 52 year man, who looks more like a 60 year old.... What is the best advise I can give him . He is reasonably easy to get on with ..but I don't want to sound like his mother ...telling off a naughty child, it's not his fault. He has encountered a obivious scammer .. "She" had sent him 28 Emails in 24 hours ...I only skimmed over them most of them were contradictory



I believe you are absolutely right on and that he has met a scammer or worse.  I think that for his own safety and security you should give him your honest opinion and let him do with it what he will.  

The whole thing is happening WAAAY too fast to be legit, IMHO.  The copy and paste thing is worrisome, also, as is the disparity between her claimed education and the letters.  Also the request that he communicate with her on another website is a flag.  Probably the next letter will be that she desperately wants to come meet him but needs money to do so, or some such.  He needs to be very careful or he is in danger of finding himself with an empty bank account and a broken heart.  Happens all the time.


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## Kadee (Jun 11, 2015)

Thank you , I will be talking to him latter.. Will gently ask a few questions ... He is not related to me,  he had a notice on our one and only little supermarket notice board for someone to teach him the computer... He is very polite and caring and only recently returned to this area from interstate to care for his dying mother , who has since passed .


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## Butterfly (Jun 12, 2015)

He's a prime candidate for internet dating scams -- older, lonely, an internet "virgin" with no idea of what or who is out there preying.  It's good you are there to advise him on internet safety.


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## chic (Jun 12, 2015)

QuickSilver said:


> As for looking for a mate in bars??? There's an old saying.. You don't pick peaches off a Lemon Tree.



Hahaha. I never heard that one before. 
Back to the original question, I've never used an online dating service. Aren't people afraid of others misrepresenting themselves in a way that could be potentially dangerous? Especially to a woman??


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## Shalimar (Jun 12, 2015)

I have met people in the past through online dating services, no frogs but no princes either. Nothing wrong with any of the gentlemen, we just lacked sufficient commonality. I found their mind set too old for my taste. They were only in their fifties, hardly geriatric, yet seemed more interested in being coddled than anything else. Not my scene. The gentleman currently in my life, appeared across the produce section in the local supermarket. He is a lovely person, same age group as the guys I just mentioned but twenty years younger in outlook.


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## Ralphy1 (Jun 12, 2015)

Women say that I am just like their first teen crush...


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## Shalimar (Jun 12, 2015)

Ralphy, that is not always a compliment, fourteen year old girls often lack judgement. My first crush resembled a bad air day. No, unfortunately, that was not a typo, gag.


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## Ralphy1 (Jun 12, 2015)

Their judgement wasn't of particular interest to me...


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## Josiah (Jun 30, 2015)

Abigail1509 said:


> Hi everyone!  I had an experience of online dating. I met a guy at https://kovla.com/, we communicated for three months but I didn't see him as my sweetheart - just friendship. I didn't have any feelings to him. He insisted on meeting in a real life, we started to date (as he thought - for me it was just spending my free time). But after a while he became very close to me... I really fell in love with him :love_heart: Now we are married for half a year and very happy together. So love from the first sight is not the only one possible variant to become happy - sometimes we need time to get used to person! I wish everyone here good luck and true love!



A very happy story, but not unique among SF members.


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## AZ Jim (Jun 30, 2015)

Kadee46 said:


> I guess he will learn one day  :shrug:, he just phoned me asking me to try to sort out his heaps of replies from the lady in question , wonder if she has told him yet about her sick relatives, or the money tied up in a overseas company that she needs his financial help with to release her millions.
> I only volunteered to teach him to use the computer to use the Internet to search things like eBay, send and read  email as I don't have the time to mess about trying to sort out the obvious day after day..



From your standpoint 50 and never married?  Caution, older bachelors are set in their ways and think singular not plural.


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## Kadee (Jun 30, 2015)

An update on Kev ...He wasn't convinced "She" was a scammer and kept talking on Yahoo ... Then she informed him she was on her way to Malaysia to buy  jewellery to set up a shop in Sydney...Poor girl was robbed on "her" arrival in Malaysia and needed money.from him to pay her hotel, and phone bill ..........Now no one expected that outcome did they :yes:
Kev was up front and said sorry can't help you, he hasn't heard from "her" since ...I felt like saying "Told you so"but bit my toungue and just smiled ....
Here is the photo she sent him....


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## SeaBreeze (Jun 30, 2015)

Butterfly said:


> If I were you, I'd advise him to  be VERY careful, and not to divulge personal information, like his name, address, and certainly not that he has medical issues.  He could be a perfect mark for someone seeking to do him ill.





Shalimar said:


> Kadee, I agree with Butterfly, regretably, there are predators of both sexes out there. He needs to be more circumspect.



I agree with both of you, watch out for scammers and predators online.


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## SeaBreeze (Jun 30, 2015)

Kadee46 said:


> An update on Kev ...He wasn't convinced "She" was a scammer and kept talking on Yahoo ... Then she informed him she was on her way to Malaysia to buy  jewellery to set up a shop in Sydney...Poor girl was robbed on "her" arrival in Malaysia and needed money.from him to pay her hotel, and phone bill ..........Now no one expected that outcome did they :yes:
> Kev was up front and said sorry can't help you, he hasn't heard from "her" since ...I felt like saying "Told you so"but bit my toungue and just smiled ....
> Here is the photo she sent him....



She'll find another "mark" Kadee, good of you to help him, your smile said the words.


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## SeaBreeze (Jun 30, 2015)

Dr. Phil had a show on TV about women who were scammed by "catfish" online.  http://www.drphil.com/shows/show/2057


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## tnthomas (Jun 30, 2015)

Butterfly said:


> If I were you, I'd advise him to  be VERY careful, and not to divulge personal information, like his name, address, and certainly not that he has medical issues.  He could be a perfect mark for someone seeking to do him ill.



Totally agree.   Especially if he is inexperienced with the ways of the internet.

Here's an old humorous but true saying:

"The internet: where men are men, women are men, and children are FBI agents"


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## Butterfly (Jun 30, 2015)

Kadee46 said:


> An update on Kev ...He wasn't convinced "She" was a scammer and kept talking on Yahoo ... Then she informed him she was on her way to Malaysia to buy  jewellery to set up a shop in Sydney...Poor girl was robbed on "her" arrival in Malaysia and needed money.from him to pay her hotel, and phone bill ..........Now no one expected that outcome did they :yes:
> Kev was up front and said sorry can't help you, he hasn't heard from "her" since ...I felt like saying "Told you so"but bit my toungue and just smiled ....
> Here is the photo she sent him....




So glad you were able to save him from this.  People get bilked out of thousands of dollars with exactly this kind of scam -- BIG problem in foreign country, need $$ to help, will pay back, really love you, etc., etc., etc.  According to what I've read, it is very common.


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## Cookie (Jun 30, 2015)

Actually, I find this scam so obvious, only a fool would fall for it - if someone was stuck in a foreign country with no money they would know to go to their embassy or better yet, call family.  There is no reason to ask an online 'dating' contact for help with money,.


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## Linda (Jun 30, 2015)

Someone I am close to has met a dear husband through the internet but also some great lady friends too.  There are sites where you can get on just to meet "friends" and they have nothing to do with sex.  I am happily married, but if I were single I would consider the internet.


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## Kadee (Jul 1, 2015)

I just wonder who the lady in the photo is:shrug::shrug: She may be quite an innocent person who has no idea her photo is being used as a obivious scam ....
hubby and I did look into photo matching sites with Kev...but they were fairly expencive to join and considering he didn't fall for the scam it's not worth paying out money to find out, just put it down to experience ............He did report it to the dating site .( the name she  is using) . Not sure I can mention name of dating site??


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## Butterfly (Jul 1, 2015)

People who fall for those scams are usually lonely, have little social interaction, and are new to the internet or new to dating sites.  They want very much to believe that the other "person" is really interested in them.

It's very sad, really.  And those who prey on the lonely souls are beneath contempt.


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