I have just recently tried online dating and I will never try another online dating site ever again. What I’m about to share with you has left me living in fear and hopefully will warn you about the dangers of online dating. I just turned 23 not that long ago and I moved out on my own after I graduated college. And for context, I am a female. I dated a bit in college, but after I left, I focused on my work and my social life fell to the sidelines.
After a series of lonely nights on Netflix, I had made an account on one of the major online dating platforms. After uploading a few really cute photos and writing a really nice bio, I started swiping left and right on potential guys. I went through over a hundred profiles before I finally had a match with a really hot guy. He was tall, dark, and handsome with a head of wavy dark brown hair.
We hit it off instantly, messaging back and forth. It turned out we had a lot in common. We both had the same taste in music and it turned out he loved to read just as much as I did. We talked for hours about Nicholas Sparks’ books and the latest Ariana Grande track. I had never met a guy who shared my taste in music and liked to read the same books as me. It was a nice change of pace.
Our conversations lasted from dusk till dawn. However, I felt like I was doing most of the talking. He was a really good listener. I told him all about my life at work and the latest gossip about my coworkers. I shared facts about myself that I never told anyone. I felt so comfortable with this guy. I felt like I could tell him anything.
He started to ask if I wanted to meet up. At first, I was a little apprehensive. I realized I didn’t know much about him. I did most of the sharing while he listened and asked questions, but I really wanted to meet him. I really liked talking to him so I agreed to meet with him in person.
He mentioned coming to pick me up, but I didn’t feel comfortable with that. I suggested we meet at a nice coffee shop I usually went to on weekends. He said he preferred to go somewhere less crowded. He suggested we go for a hike in the woods. I wasn’t so sure about this but I reluctantly agreed. We made plans to meet at 4 o’clock on Saturday.
I got there a bit early and stayed in my car. For some reason, I just felt odd about it all, but I was hopeful with the conversations we had, but I still kept my doors locked. I turned my car off but kept the radio on. I waited until I got a text asking me where I was. I told him I was in the parking lot and asked him where he was.
He said he was on his way. He said he’d meet me by the entrance to the trails. I was very apprehensive about this and decided to wait in my car until I saw him pull up. Thank god I did. I noticed a white van parked not too far from me with a man and a girl inside. They were watching me intently. They looked very out of place.
After waiting for 10 minutes or so, I shot him a text asking him how far away he was? He said he already pulled up and was waiting at the trail entrance. I thought there was no way he could have slipped by me as the park was empty besides me and the people in the van. There was no way I was getting out of my car. I waited there a bit longer and received several messages from him. He asked if I was coming.
I asked him to come to the parking lot, he refused. That’s when I saw something strange. I clearly saw the girl in the van texting and as soon as I received a text message she’d look up over at me. I don’t know if this was a coincidence or if she was the one who was texting me after all.
The text I received said he was waiting for me and if I didn’t come soon he’d leave. At this point, there was no way I was getting out of my car. I then decided to facetime him. That way it’d prove he is who he said he was. As I started the facetime, I looked over at the van and saw the woman’s phone light up. They immediately canceled the call.
I then decided to call the police and report everything. They said they’d send someone out to where I was. I got a text saying if I didn’t come out, he was going to leave. I didn’t fall for it. Instead, I said I’d be there in a minute. Just had to fix something. I was trying to stall for the police to get here. That’s when the back door to the van opened up and two men in masks got out. By now I was truly freaked out. I tried to start my car but to my horror, the battery had died. It wouldn’t even turn over. I was not truly terrified as the men walked over to my car. My heart was racing as they told me to roll down my window. I refused. They tried to open my car door and thank god I kept it locked. One of them headed back to the van and pulled out a crowbar. I was now on the verge of tears as he walked up to the passenger side of my car and started to bash the window.
I pleaded with them to leave me alone. I was now crying hysterically as the man continued to hit the window with the crowbar, it started to crack. The other man was making threatening gestures and was telling me all the things they were going to do to me. I truly thought they were going to take me as the crowbar managed to smash my window open.
As he unlocked the door and proceeded to get in my car, to my relief a police car pulled up right then and there. Two officers got out with their weapons drawn. Another police car pulled up behind them as the men raised their hands.
They were all arrested. What was truly horrifying is what they found in that van. There was chloroform, rope, handcuffs, duct tape, and weapons. Everything you needed to kidnap someone. Apparently, the girl was the one texting me. She had our entire conversation on her phone. It turns out they were part of a huge human trafficking ring. It scares me to imagine what could’ve happened if the police didn’t arrive when they did. I haven’t been on a dating site ever since.
The End.
Remember, you’re never safe in the dark…
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