Rashmi met Suresh online almost a month ago. He told her that he was staying at a hotel in San Fransisco, working onsite for a Software Testing project. Though they met in a community on Orkut, Rashmi and Suresh soon became very "close" friends and would chat for hours every day. Things got so hunky dory that Rashmi began to think that she was in love! But one thing that Rashmi was unable to understand was why Suresh gave her a Ahmedabad cell phone number. Why could't he get a new number in USA instead of paying lots of money as roaming charge? So Rashmi got a detective to perform a background check on Suresh. She was shocked to find out that Suresh was nothing close to what she had imagined him to be. He wasn't even "Suresh" for starters! He turned out to be a married jewlery shop owner from Ahmedabad and his name was Rajat Doshi.

Millions of love stories have blossomed on the internet and many have culminated into happy marriages. But we cannot close our eyes to the many love stories that turned out to be tricks played by conmen, often leading to heinous crimes. Have you met a "special someone" online? Are you in love with an online friend? If yes, you probably trust that person completely. You probably think he's "Mr. Right" for you. But do yourself a favor, and check him out "just in case". Here's how:

How To Check Him Out?

Seek A Friend: Since you are emotionally involved here, your view of the situation is likely to be distorted with love and trust. So seek a friend or relative who can give impartial opinion and advice. Discuss the situation with someone you can trust, and who is also very smart. Rely on your friend's "third person" view more than you rely on your own feelings.

Ask Questions: It is well known that people tell lies to protect their identities on the internet. But if your relationship is progressing, it is time to come clean with all information. Tell him that you want to know everything about him, and are willing to tell him about yourself. Ask for EVERYTHING. His reaction will tell you a lot about his intentions.

Background Check: If the relationship is to progress any further, tell him that you would require to do a background check. This will immediately scare him off if he's conning you. He will accuse you of insulting him etc. But if he really values this relationship, he won't mind. Encourage him to do a background check on you in exchange!

Identify: Now that you have made it clear that you would like to take your relationship further, he can understand your need to verify things. So ask him to email/fax a scanned image of his passport and driving license. Though these documents can be forged, it takes criminals to do that. Most conmen on the prowl online are just bums looking for a good time. So a passport and driving license will prove his name, DOB, nationality and residence etc to you.

Conference Call: It is now time to bring your trusted friend/relative into the picture. Arrange a conference call for all 3 of you to talk. Starting with an introduction of the other two, lead on to other topics. Cover his background, education, job, future plans, your relationship etc in the conversation. If something is amiss, your friend will probably notice it.

If He Takes Offence...?

If your online boyfriend takes offence at any of these measures, he is not for keeps. It is as simple as that! If the relationship means anything to him, he would want to make sure that you feel secure, happy and comfortable. Furthermore, if he has nothing to hide, there is no reason to take offence. So his reaction to these measures will be enough to tell you if he's Mr. Right or not. Good Luck!