There are two types of online dating sites - free and paid. The question is, why pay if you can get the same free dating service? It's a difficult question to answer.

Both online dating types offer similar services although paid sites often provide more features, such as member background checks. Using a free dating site comes with some drawbacks. Free dating site can be more susceptible to this because the security isn't as tight as on paid dating sites. Using free email services rather than your own host email is a great way to sidestep this intrusion.

1. Check that agencies/sites are reputable before joining. Avoid free agencies - they may be free but because of this, and the limited sanctions that the agency or site can impose, they attract proportionally more fraudsters, fakes and scammers.

2. "Form letters", photocopied letters, or replies which don't actually reply to your own message, (i.e. anything which seems to be a standard cut and paste message not an actual reply to your specific message) should ring alarm bells. Why didn't they answer your question, or acknowledge something important you said?

3. Beware of professional photos. It's sad but true that they can often be fake, or scanned in from magazines. We'd all like to date a model but really, how likely is one to be looking online for a date?

4. They misspell or don't remember your name regularly. This hints at large volumes of people being processed.

5. They declare love for you too quickly. We all want to believe in romance and true love, but someone able to make that kind of decision based on a tiny bit of knowledge about you isn't going to be a sustainable relationship. And it could well be a scam building.

6. Messages either repeat themselves, or contain duplicate information. This hints of cutting and pasting going on.

7. This shouldn't need saying but... they ask for money! Or hint that if they had money they could visit, write more, etc.

How to protect yourself

Keep records - Make sure you keep emails. Retain messages on dating sites where possible. Learn how to keep message logs of messages and conversations on msn messenger, yahoo chat etc.

Keep your privacy - use a separate email account from your "real" personal one. Use only a telephone number which has caller display if possible. If you have any doubt, only use a payphone. Hide/withold your number if you call them.

Never rush or let yourself be rushed. Don't progress to email until ready. Don't switch to talking by phone until you're happy. And never meet until you're sure about it and know enough about them.

Don't worry about being demanding - ask for a picture, in fact, ask for whatever you want. If they ask for your phone number, ask for theirs first. It may seem awkward, but it's sensible and at least shows that you know what you're doing and won't be an easy target.

Initiate contact first. Usually, scammers will contact you - they're fishing for victims. Take control of your online dating by doing the approaching, and you'll avoid many of them.

Online dating sites are immensely popular today. They make dating a little less risky. You can seek out potential partners without meeting them by online dating. You can share only as much as you wish in your dating profile. And you can stay anonymous until you've made a decision.

The sheer number of potential mates that can be previewed makes online dating sites a tremendous time-saver.

The best way to determine whether to use a paid or a free online dating site according to the best dating guides is to do your own research. You'll want to see how many potential mates you might encounter on each dating site, what services the site offers, and whether they enable people to upload video online dating profiles.