The Low-Down: How Women Can Protect Themselves by Researching Dates

So, you've had a mad crush on this hot guy you barely know. You've finally exchanged numbers and have a sushi date for Thursday night. Congratulations! But...what do you do now?

Besides running to the closet to pick out the perfect outfit, you should sit down at your computer for a few minutes to do a little research. Remember, although he's cute and funny, you don't really know him. You need as much information as possible in order to protect yourself, both physically and emotionally. By visiting a few Web sites and performing some simple searches, you may be able to determine if he's the upstanding kind of guy you want to date. You might even learn some information that will help you on your first date. So, grab a glass of wine, open a word processor for notes, and let's get started!

DISCLAIMER: This is not meant to be a guide to cyber-stalking. This information is to be used to research potential dates before you put yourself in a situation where you could be harmed. Keep in mind that even if all these searches come up clean, you should still be wary. Public information Web sites may not reveal everything. And, just because someone never got caught in illegal or inappropriate acts does not mean they don't engage in them. As always, trust your gut and use your common sense.

• Google. Google is your friend, and your first step in finding information on people. You can often find message board posts, organizational news, professional information and more. If you're looking for information on John Doe, search for him with his name inside quote marks, "John Doe." If he often uses a middle initial, include that, too. If the name is common, add a location in separate quote marks, like: "John Doe" "Cincinnati." If you know John Doe's e-mail, as in jokerjohn@email.com, Google "jokerjohn." Also, Google any screen names he may use. Google is a great and versatile tool that will allow you to learn a lot, so experiment with it!
• Federal Inmate and National Sex Offender Records. Search these to see if he's ever been in a federal prison or placed on a sex offender list.
• Online Court Records. Some states have open online court records, which may included marriage, divorce, traffic tickets, crimes, protective orders and more. Ask an information specialist at your courthouse if they publish this information online, and where.
• State Employee Records. State workers' records are often available online. If your guy says he works for the state, you should be able to verify that he does. You may also be able to view his dates of employment, specific job title and salary.
• DirtSearch.org. This site searches through many available, local public records. Keep in mind that not every record returned will be for the person you're searching. If it says he received a speeding ticket in 1992, but you know your guy was 12 at the time, then it's not the person you're looking for.
• Reverse Address Search. So, you know where he lives and his first name, but not anything else? Use a free reverse address search to find his last name, and go from there. If the listing includes a female name, you will be on alert and may be able to figure out their relationship.
• Local Newspaper Articles. Try searching your local newspaper's online archives. You may be able to see articles about professional or education achievement, as well as birhs (parents' names are often listed), engagement announcements, marriages and divorces.
• Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. Nearly everyone uses one or all three of these social networking Web sites. Search for your guy on all three. If his profile is private on Facebook, see if his friends list is available. If it is, and you happen to know the names of his close friends, look at their profiles if they are open. Look at the wall to see what kind of conversations they have, and through the photo album to see if pictures of your guy are included. You never know if you'll see him with a bunch of strippers...or accepting a professional or school award. Do this on MySpace, too. If you can't find a profile for him, try searching by e-mail address. As a last resort, search first name only but use specifications like location and age to narrow results.
• Spock.com and Pipl.com. Although Spock.com is a paid Web site, some information is available for free. You can often see old profile pictures, personal information, relationships and friends on both sites.
• Amazon.com Wish Lists. Search for name or e-mail address to see if he has a public Wish List. This is important because you want to know where his interests lie. Is his list all adult material or relatively harmless movies and music?
• DontDateHimGirl.com. Women in your area sometimes rate men on this Web site. If you see anything here, use your common sense on what it might mean. Some may post out of vengeance, but some might have valid warnings.