In the midst of all the serious work around GMO labeling, gun violence and the State of the Union, I thought it would be nice on this day just before Valentine’s Day to have a little frivolity. On NPR this weekend “Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me” did a bit about online dating for everyone. One of the sites they mentioned was FarmersOnly an online dating site whose name speaks for itself. On the homepage it says that it is for people seeking other down to earth country folks. City folks just don’t get it!™
So, for the sake of research, I created an account and went on the site to check it out. The best part of the site was at the end of FAQ. A section called what are safe online dating practices? It was a good list and here it is:
There are some very important and basic rules to safe online dating that you should always remember.
0. Never share your financial information (Social Security & Bank Account number) with anyone online under any circumstances.
0. Never exchange checks and/or cash with anyone unless you have built up trust with that person over a long period of time.
0. Never send money to any member who requests it, even if that person claims to be in dire circumstances. This is a huge red flag and means you should cease contact immediately
0. Always report members who send you mail that seems like a scam or fraudulent. Send us an email at support@farmersonly.com
0. Remember that FarmersOnly.com members can only be from the United States or Canada. It is not permitted to access our site from abroad and anyone who is abroad should not be trusted under any circumstances.
0. Never include your last name, e-mail address, home address, phone number, place of work, or any other identifying information in your profile or messages to other members.
0. Stop communicating with anyone who pressures you for personal or financial information or attempts in any way to trick you into revealing it. Please report that person to us immediately at support@farmersonly.com
0. There is no substitute for acting with caution when communicating with any stranger who wants to meet you in person. If you choose to have a face-to-face meeting with another member, always tell someone in your family or a friend where you are going and when you will return. Always provide your own transportation to and from your date. And always meet in a public place with many people around. Never agree to be picked up at your home
More information about safe online dating can also be found at the FTC.gov website
So a little frivolity, a little safety. Happy Valentine’s Day early. On the actual day I will be posting something serious and thoughtful in keeping with the One Billion Rising campaign.
The Populist Farmer 