Online Dating Services I was surprised when I learned that my friend, Mary, was meeting someone online using online dating service. We were talking about different ways of dating then and now. Many people, like Mary, think that the internet is a good way of dating that can replace the traditional way. On the other hand, however, many others including myself strongly believe that online dating is the worst way to meet the future partner. It is ridiculous, dangerous, and cannot replace the traditional ways of dating at parties, wedding occasions, or through family and friends. Dating online can be ridiculous because we do not know who is sitting on the other side. He could be anyone; in fact, a twenty-five-year-old single woman could be a forty-five-year-old married man. Moreover, a scientist from the USA could be a taxi driver from Poland. It could be ridiculous because the anonymity of the Internet allows people to lie about their marital status and even their gender. People often exaggerate age, income and employment. Just because they have a picture in their personal profile does not mean it is of them or was taken this decade. There is no way to verify if the person we are meeting is not lying, pretending, or exaggerating. Dating online could also be very dangerous. Online dating services are a great and very easy tool for many criminals and desperate lonely people to find their victims. Very often we hear many stories of online dating tragedies and online dating victims. A woman fell in love with a man she met online. Six months later, he encouraged her to sell her house, pack everything into a truck, and prepare herself and her two young children for a new life. Then comes the email saying, "I'm sorry, I am married." In addition, many desperate people from poor countries would do anything to come to the USA. They will tell you anything you would like to