English-Test.net Friends provides a fun and secure environment in which to meet new friends, find language teachers or students, and exchange views. It’s a great place to build great friendships online that translate into great relationships offline. But whether you are building that friendship online or meeting people offline, please exercise all due caution. Common sense is your best friend online and the following points must be kept in mind to ensure a healthy online experience.

KEEP IT NEAR

Looking for a date in Alaska? Maybe a good idea if you are an adventure seeker. Otherwise please try to limit your search to your geographical area. It will certainly make your life easier.

GUARD YOUR ANONYMITY

On English-Test.net Friends your true identity is protected until you decide to reveal it. NEVER give out personal information until your cyber friend has earned your trust. That may take a long time. Please burn this point into your brain to prevent someone from misusing your personal information or details later on. Stop communicating with anyone who pressures you for personal information or attempts in any way to trick you into revealing it. Don’t disclose your main email address. Use a service that forwards your email to another account or set up another account for use on the site.

KEEP IT REAL

Recognize that many, many people lie online. The person who says he's 23 and going to Harvard may very well be a 50-year-old sexual predator. Or the man is a woman, or the woman is a man. The person you may think you know may not exist at all. So don’t get too carried away, keep a sense of perspective at all times.

MEET IN A SAFE PLACE

If you decide to arrange a face-to-face meeting, whether it is for friendship, language lessons, or to get to know each other better, there are important things to keep in mind. When you meet for the first time, meet with a group at a public place, such as a restaurant. Never meet a stranger alone. Make sure you have the person's name, address, and phone number before you meet. Confirm the information is real. Give your friends or family the information and tell them your plans.

TAKE IT EASY, TIME IS ON YOUR SIDE

Watch out for someone who seems just too good to be true. Look out for inconsistencies in what the person says and claims to be. The person at the other end may not be who he or she say they are. In that case, just walk away. If anything makes you the least bit uncomfortable, walk away for your own safety and protection. We at English-Test.net Friends want you to have a pleasant and fun experience, making friends online.

USE THE PHONE

Don't wait too long before you talk on the phone. You'll learn a lot from each other's voices. Do not give out your telephone number if you are not comfortable and know enough about the person. Use a cell phone instead or if you must call, use local telephone facilities to prevent your number from appearing on somebody’s caller ID.

BE POLITE

Everyone is attractive. Not everyone finds everyone else attractive. If you don't find someone attractive, it's not his or her fault. Do not be blunt -- or cruel. Also, never end an online relationship by dropping out of sight. The least you owe someone is a sensitive "goodbye." It is not that person's fault if he or she does not fulfill your requirements.

KNOW WHEN TO GET OUT

Never do anything you feel unsure about. If you are in any way afraid of your partner, 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. 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.

ASK FOR PHOTOS

When you meet for the first time, you should get to know each other, not be shocked out of your mind. Ask for photos, if somebody keeps giving you excuses for not sending a photo, then you can safely assume that the person has something to hide or is not being truthful about something. Looks may not be as important as the person’s personality but a photo will help you in achieving a gut feeling about the person.

The web may abound with liars, and cheaters but that is also true in real life. The same kind of shady people are to be found everywhere from cocktail parties, at roadside cafes or offline dating services. Regardless of where you meet someone, dating is never a risk-free activity, but a little caution will help go a long way in ensuring your safety while looking for that true love, friend or soul mate.

Happy and safe searching!