As hard as they try to police against this sort of thing, dating services can only do so much to prevent fake profiles.  It is ultimately up to you to make sure the "person" you are corresponding with is real.  There are two main reasons why fake profiles exist.  First, there are many people out there who are intent on harming people financially, and sometimes even physically.  Second, unscrupulous dating services will create what is commonly referred to as "bots", fake profiles that exist with the goal being to entice you to sign up for the paid membership so you can see more photos, chat with them, etc.

Scammers - Since the advent of the Internet, con artists have looked for ways to exploit this new medium to either separate people from their money, and sociopaths have sought to find people to whom to do great harm.  Avoiding either of these situations is usually quite simple.  Use common sense when communicating with anyone you have never met, or even if you have met them, anyone you do not know very well, and do not KNOW that you can trust. 

Be anonymous, never giving our your real name, phone number, or address to someone you do not know and trust.  Use free email services, such as Hotmail, Yahoo!, and Google to protect your identity.  And, never, never, never use any part of your real name in any online nickname that you use for an online dating service.  These common sense methods will prevent potential stalkers from finding ways to contact you without your knowledge or permission.

When you have finally decided to meet someone, insist that the two of you meet in a public place, and let friends and family know where you are going, and when you will contac them again.  Also, familiarize yourself with the area, and be sure to check in with friends and family when you get back home. Getting in a rush because you are excited, or nervous, can potentially lead to you getting hurt, emotionally, or more importantly, physically.

Also see my articles on Internet Dating Safety Tips on PremierDatingOnline.com for additional tips to avoid scammers, and those that may wish to do you harm.

Bots - Bots are a far less dangerous threat than scammers, but the fact that they could separate you from your money is a threat nonetheless.  Now, I am one of the biggest proponents of using the vast features of paid online dating services, but if you spend your money on one that isn't the right one for you, or you spend it due to unscrupulous tactics on the part of that service, then you aren't getting the most out of your internet dating experience.  

There are ways to determine whether or not you are corresponding with a real, genuine person, or a "bot" planted there by the dating service.  One way is to see if you can get actual contact from the person that is behind the profile.  Send them an email or two.  And, remember, don't just get right down to the nitty gritty right away.  Let them know a little about yourself, just basic stuff at first, and see if you get a reply.  If not, that's a dead giveaway right off the bat.

If you do get an answer back from the, another way to see if they are genuine is to use the free chat capabilities that many online dating services offer.  And I don't just mean get into a private chat session with them.  Go into a general chat room, with several people in the room, and see how they interact with other people, and not just with you.  You should be able to tell quickly if they are genuine or not.

Now, I hope I haven't scared you off from the world of internet dating, making you think there's nothing but creeps and weirdos out there (see Online Dating Myths Busted), but they are out there, and it would be foolish to ignore them.  The good people online far outweigh the bad, but the bad ones can be very persistent.  As always, the bottom line is to use common sense, and trust your gut instincts.  If your instincts have a habit of steering you wrong, trust the advice and wisdom of people who have been there, done that, and are still around to tell the tales.