Nearly half of Britain's 4.7 million online daters are the victim of harassment, fraud and scams, new research shows.
Warning to online datersThe study found one in 10 Brits has used an online dating agency or internet chat room for socialising.
But almost half (46%) have fallen victim to foul play, including suffering from online harassment (11%).
One third have been lied to about the appearance of someone they are dating online (37%).
And, somewhat surprisingly, men (21%) are almost twice as likely to online date as women (12%).
The research was carried out by online identity experts Garlik.
"Online dating is a way of life for a growing number of Brits and it's a fun, and often very safe, way to meet new people," chief executive Tom Ilube said.
"Unfortunately, at the same time online fraudsters are moving away from simple email scams to more sophisticated and cynical techniques.
"They include building relationships online, sometimes over several months of careful grooming, and then asking for money or stealing identities.
"All of us need to wake up quickly to this new wave of online fraud."
Make sure you're taking precautionsThe findings also reveal online daters are giving out personal details like their date of birth (44%), mobile number (22%), and address (14%).
This is putting many at risk of identity fraud and worse.
Are you taking online dating precautions?
* Don't post or give away any information that you would not give to a stranger.
* Do your research - if someone you are dating online tells you about a company he/she works for, then look it up online.
* Don't reveal too much - avoid giving away your full date of birth or posting your mobile phone number or email addresses online.
* Ask a friend to have a quick look at bits of your online dating conversations. A good friend will tell you pretty quickly if something looks wrong.
* If you're asked for money, walk away.
