If you are one of those who loves chatting and making friends online, there are a few things that you need to be careful about in these days of cyber crime. With hacking becoming a rampant problem, your past chats can reveal a lot of your personal details. To ensure that you don’t fall into any such trap try to keep the following points in mind.

• Never Reveal Your Financial Details

You could be chatting online about money matters, but ensure that you never reveal any money related details. Be it your account number, credit/debit card number or your PIN umber, do not reveal these things on chat.

• Don’t Add Just About Anyone To Your List

Don’a add people in your chat list just to have a long list of friends. Know the person a bit before adding him/her. Check out the mutual friends if possible and get details about the “to-be friend” before adding.

• Be Careful In Chat Rooms

Chat rooms are one of the best places to interact with people around the world. But do understand that there are strangers lurking around there so you gotta be careful and think twice on what you are saying.

• Be Polite But Not Over-Friendly

If someone pings you, it’s customary to say “Hi!” and have a small chat with them. But make sure you don’t get over-friendly. Don’t promise to meet them or be their best buddy. If someone suggests you to meet him/her in the first chat itself, you do have to block button to your rescue

• Don’t Use Profanities

While gossiping online is very much in, don’t use profanities when in a chat room. Saying nasty things about other people is known as “flaming” in cyberspace. You can be blocked from further discussions in the chat due to such reasons.

• Watch What You Say

Some organisations get experts to keep a tab on their employees chats. Maybe it’s not a good idea to gossip about office politics or back-stabbing your boss. Keep it for conversations over a coffee with friends at some cafe.

• No Expectations

The basic rule of chatting is that don’t expect anything if you are chatting with a stranger. You don’t know the person on the other end, so don’t expect him/her to be funny, witty or sensitive. The conversation might lead to a friendship or a fight. Don’t get hurt if someone doesn’t want to be your friend and ignores you or blocks you. Be open minded and chat with the people who accepted you as a friend