If you`re on a free dating site and have provided a photo of yourself on you personal profile, you run the risk of having your personal information revealed to potential stalkers using Google`s reverse image search engine to their advantage.
To make sure this is in fact a valid threat, I had copied a random photo a girl simply named ‘surferchic85′ on an online dating site and dragged it into Google`s search bar. Lo and behold, Google pulled up ‘surferchic85′s real FULL name, her Facebook account, her phone number and place of employment. I did the same for another girl and it turned out that the picture she was using was in fact a photo from a modeling site she stole.
Since I`m not a cyber stalker, there was nothing to fear. But what about the other people who are being searched for and more importantly, how can you prevent yourself from being easy prey online?
First of all, most of your personal information that can be found online is in your Facebook account. You may not know this, but your phone number may be listed on your account without your knowledge. That is why it is imperative to make your Facebook account private and you should take the time to go through your privacy settings. (Despite the fact that it is a huge pain in the ass.)
Also, don`t use the same photo you do on your social media accounts and at work when you`re using a dating site. It is also a good idea to do the unthinkable: Google yourself and see what pictures come up and see if you are an easy target.