According to psychotherapist Kelly Scott, LHMC, “People’s hope clouds their judgment” Enthusiasm may mean that you won’t protect yourself, and it could cause you to overlook things that should not be overlooked.  

Be sure to pay attention to the red flags mentioned above to ensure your financial, personal, and emotional privacy is protected.

Scott warns that it’s easier to hide online, so dating apps can delay finding out who someone really is. That’s why she always recommends that her clients meet in person as soon as possible. 

Prolonged contact online can also create a false sense of intimacy. You may think messaging someone online for three weeks is equivalent to spending that amount of time with them, but it’s really not the same thing.