Whether you're looking for a quick hookup, a swinger encounter, or a long-term relationship, online dating can be an easy way to access more potential matches than you could ever meet on the dating scene. Most serious searchers have more than one profile on more than one site, and sometimes even more than one persona. The true creepers have mastered the art of misrepresenting themselves online to lure personal photos or even an awkward date out of someone who is well beyond their dating league. To become an online dating winner, you must quickly develop a technique for decoding the riddle of electronic profiles to reveal the person behind the screen name.
When we were newbie swingers, Soccer Dad and I were excited to meet as many available couples as possible. We started trolling swinger websites and emailing back and forth with a few prospects. One couple asked us out for drinks. While their pictures were a little fuzzy their descriptions of themselves seemed perfect. At the time Soccer Dad and I were in our late 20s and still fairly unversed on the do's and don'ts of the lifestyle. Without first having a phone conversation or exchanging up close photos we agreed to meet the couple at Chili's.
This article appears in Apr 28 – May 4, 2011.