The dating scene can be rough at any age, but for those starting out for a second time after divorce the prospect of beginning to date can be both exciting and daunting. Set-ups through friends and casual acquaintances might provide a pool of potential dates to choose from. But if you’ve ever summed up a blind date by saying to a friend “He was a Neanderthal”, turns out you might be right. Scientists recently uncovered evidence that Neanderthal and modern humans interbred.

Busy work schedules and a reluctance to go the way of the “bar scene” have more and more people turning to dating services, especially Internet services. What better way to screen potential dates and get to test compatibility before meeting than corresponding online? But a story in the news this week, points out the ease with which someone can appear to be something he’s not. A Philadelphia man posed as a doctor, an astronaut and a spy when corresponding with women he met through a dating service. He is now charged with having used date-rape drugs to sexually assault 10 women he met online.

Wading in the dating pool before diving into the deep end is probably the best advice. If you consider online dating, make sure the company is reputable and find out as much about potential matches as possible. You might have to forego some of the flashier types - it’s always possible an international spy wouldn’t need to use an internet dating service to meet women.