We often hear horror stories of people who have met with misfortune when they thought they were meeting the person of their dreams. Cautionary tales concerning online dating services abound, and yet millions are flocking to the internet to find love and companionship.

In 2004, there were 844 net online dating services, and it has become a widespread and accepted way to meet new people. According to an article in Wired magazine, “Twenty years from now, the idea that someone looking for love without looking for it online will be silly, akin to skipping the card catalog to instead wander the stacks because ‘the right books are found only by accident.’”

Whether you are looking for a dates, compatible partners, friends or dates within a particular subgroup, or just a chance to meet and talk to a variety of people, there are myriad sites out there from which to choose. Let’s look at four broad categories of dating service sites.

Sites for General Interests and Dating

Many online dating services offer a mix and mingle approach. You can create a profile, which is the face you present to others on the site. You can also look at others’ profiles to get an idea of who you would like to get to know better. The chat rooms, forums, buddy lists, and IM features that are typically offered on these sites offer yet another chance to meet with compatible partners. These sites are great for people new to the online dating scene because they are usually free.

The question is: Where do I start? How do I pick one site among many in order to find “the one”? A good way to choose is to find out what has worked for others. If you know someone who has found love or friendship through an online dating service (and chances are you do), get their recommendations. Find out which sites offered the best services and created a positive experience.

When you’re looking for relationships, you should keep safety in the forefront of your mind. People can present themselves anyway they want online. Just because it is written in a profile doesn’t make it true. After all, you could write that you are a six foot blonde supermodel, and really, no one would know the difference. From harmless embellishment to outright lying, people often do lie in their profiles. Keep this in mind as you look for matches online.

Your first priority should be safety, even when you’re looking for love. Take precautions, such as never providing personal information like your address or phone number. If you do decide to meet someone in person, make sure you meet in a public place. Most of all, use common sense and intuition. If something doesn’t feel right to you, don’t push yourself to continue.

Matches Made in Heaven

These sites charge for their services because they do more than just provide a meeting place. Compatibility sites usually have you do some kind of personality or compatibility assessment and they try to match you with people who have similar profiles.

Compatibility sites are usually frequented by people who want a serious relationship. Sites like E-Harmony and Match.com are often useful in helping people find lasting love and great partnerships.

Similarities Attract

If you want to date or share your life with someone who has the same values or interests, a niche site is a great place to meet him/her. There are various online dating services that cater to niche groups, such as those based on religion, interests like biking or running, or professions. Chances are that you can find a site for just about anything: from police officers to teachers and horse enthusiasts to swimmers. Some of these group or interest-specific sites charge a fee for their services, but you may also be able to find one that suits you for free.

These sites are particularly suitable for those who prefer to date others within their religious faith. It can be hard to find people who share your values and beliefs, and niche sites do a great job of putting people together in that way.

Old Friends, New Friends, and New Love

Meeting people – and staying in touch – can be difficult in our busy lives. Networking sites not only allow us to remain in contact with friends, but meet new people as well. Sites like MySpace and Face Book are not online dating services per se, but they do allow you to look at people’s profiles and decide if you would like to strike up a friendship.

It’s important to remember, however, that dating is not the primary purpose of networking sites. Many of the people you meet there are not interested in dating.

online dating services are an excellent way to find people you might be interested in. Some sites help you screen potential dates, too, to find those that you are most likely to be compatible with. Your chances of finding someone you enjoy spending time with are probably better with a online dating service than they are with a blind date… or Uncle Joey’s cousin’s sister… or the guy your mom wants to fix you up with…