If you have ever attempted to sign up to a dating site and wondered how people ever found another person on these sites, following these tips will help you find the person you are looking for while protecting your identity.

1.) Start talking using the site as a way to send messages. You want to make sure at least the person is real and looking at their profile is also a good idea.

2.) Once you have sent them some messages just asking questions about them, you may want to go even further and add them on MySpace or on an IM program. At least with MySpace you can find out their friends and you can look at their profile. IM is a way to talk and it is preferred to use a separate account for internet people and people from dating sites.

3.) After some talk on IM, if the person is still interested in you, either they will give you their phone number, or you will give yours. If they give you theirs, it is also best to call restricted first. Just put *67 and then the number and it will go through as restricted. Also if at all possible, use your cell phone number because a home phone number can be traced to your address just by using Google.

4.) When you do finally decide to meet in person which should be at least a week or 2 weeks after you have been in contact with the person. Do so in a public place. Wal-Mart’s garden department is a very popular place to meet and it’s in a good public place too.

5.) When you have met for the first time or couple of times, get their address and give them yours and you can find each other through Mapquest.