By CAROL MATROO Sunday, June 21 2009

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The body of Gail Joseph, a mother of four, was found in the Manzanilla River four days after she went missing. Her murder has been linked to a man she...

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The internet puts the rest of the world at one’s fingertips, literally. Information on almost any subject under the sun is available at the press of a key, but these days many users browse the internet to “hook up” with potential dates and love interests.

Some may say it beats having to go through the trouble of getting all dressed up to go out on a date which may not develop past one meeting. For the shy ones it’s a great chance to “talk” anonymously with someone without having to actually meet.

What with chat rooms, Facebook, Twitter and the like, making friends is just a click away while keeping relationships confidential, maybe too much so.

The murder of Gail Joseph two weeks ago has raised many questions about online dating, not the least of which was, how safe is it?

How sure can one be about a name and face on their computer screen? How can one tell if they are chatting with a would-be stalker or murderer?

According to investigators, Joseph left her Siparia home on May 1, a brightly wrapped present and a birthday cake in tow, to meet with a man she allegedly met on the social networking website Tagged.com. She never returned home.

Her bloated, decomposing body was found four days later, floating among thick mangrove in the Manzanilla River. An autopsy revealed she had been strangled.

Was Joseph’s killer a predator who sought out lonely women looking for a relationship online? Was the personal information he sent to Joseph truth or fiction? Or was it just the bait on the hook used to lure the unsuspecting woman?

Many people who are involved in online dating misrepresent themselves by telling flattering “white lies” about their age, weight, height or by using old or misleading photos.

Online predators find online dating sites especially attractive as such sites give them an unending supply of new targets, while women find a false degree of safety of anonymity as they search for love on the internet.

This false sense of security, however, exposes them to stalking, fraud and sexual violence.

People have been questioning Joseph’s decision to rendezvous with this mystery man. What was she thinking, or did she even think? What did this man say to this mother of four to gain her confidence and make her feel secure enough to meet with him alone? Did she inform her daughters or any friend about whom this person might be?

Joseph’s murder is being investigated by the TT Police Cyber Crime Unit (CCU) which has been operating for the past ten months.

Acting Police Commissioner James Philbert said while this was the first time most people were hearing about the CCU, the unit has been “involved in activities”.

“Now that the office has been located and established...It is staffed by people qualified in information technology and they are resourced with equipment to do analysis in IT systems,” Philbert said.

He said the CCU was established because of the importance of cyber in crime detection. He said it was vitally important that the police specialise in the way that they dealt with crime.

Philbert said crime was now more sophisticated and now involved the internet which has motivated the police to move in that direction.

He said anything that dealt with IT came under the purview of the CCU which had international connections, including a link with Interpol.

“The Cyber Crime Unit is not just dealing with Gail Joseph’s murder, it is any crime that involves IT, any crime that has surfaced and has been sent to us,” Philbert said.

The internet could be a mostly safe site to build relationships if people follow certain guidelines and pay more attention to their own feelings of uncertainty.

The most important thing to remember when talking on dating websites or even social networking is not to disclose too much personal information as nobody “needs to know” where you work, your address or even your telephone number.

If this person means to do you harm, this kind of personal information is just a map leading a potential killer to your doorstep.

While communicating with a “friend” online, people should pay attention to the consistency of the information that is being revealed. The more inconsistencies, the greater the chance that this person is lying about who they are.

They should also stop all communication with people who are obsessed with trying to pry personal information from them.

People should also be on the look out for warning signs such as the use of foul language, disrespectful remarks, signs of anger for no apparent reason and elusiveness in answering direct questions.

Decided on a face-to-face meeting with your “friend”? Never, under any circumstances agree to meet with that person at your home. To ensure added protection, people should have these meetings in public and, most important, tell someone where they are, with whom and when they would be back.