Dating in the digital era, how to shield yourself from the harmful trend of "cloaking"?

In today's digital era, many couples meet online. Not all such relationships are doomed to fail. In fact, more than one match from Tinder has ended up at the altar. However, you should exercise caution when meeting someone online. Some individuals may harbor insidious intentions beneath their online facade. In extreme cases, someone could even be trying to defraud you.

As it turns out, dealing with unrequited emotional involvement can be even worse. A good example of this is the online dating trend known as "cloaking". This is similar to the all-too-popular practice of "ghosting".

"Ghosting" involves ending all communication without offering an explanation. Nothing hints at an impending breakup. One moment, there are shared intimate moments, the next, the person you dedicated your time and emotions to has disappeared. This is extremely damaging because it leaves you without any closure or understanding of what happened.

"Cloaking" is similar in that it involves creating emotional involvement and adoration, but it all occurs within the online space. Contact is cut off the moment there's a proposal to meet offline.

The vital question is: how can you avoid falling victim to "cloaking"? The best solution would be to suggest a real-life meeting as soon as possible to avoid being misled. If the person you're involved with online reacts with skepticism to this proposal, it's better to keep your guard up.