Everything about your computer and your Internet connection should be verified and taken care of before you go online and search for a partner. You definitely should buy an antivirus software and a good firewall to prevent any hacker attacks. You can find antivirus software and firewall free for home computer users.
Both of these softwares will give you a good start in getting your online safety increased. There are plenty of other softwares as well. A quick search on Google can turn up plenty more.
Protect Yourself
The first thing you need to do to protect yourself is to choose safe dating sites. You definitely don't want to choose something obscure and take chances with your life. All you need is to find a respectable online dating service by asking people, friends, neighbors, or using search engines. On search engines you can use the phrase "online dating services"; a good idea is to keep track of what you search by writing down your URLs or website links. Also make sure that you keep in mind all the rules and regulations, all the information and anything else that interests you. After that you can compare them and find a suitable one.
Make sure that you keep your private information safe, make sure you sue the correct tools and protect yourself from any strangers that might harm you.