We’ve all been there: you meet someone online that seems incredibly charming and before you know it, you’re completely smitten with your online crush. However, sometimes when you’re in the throes of online crush-dom it can be hard to distinguish between behavior that is romantic and things that should be considered as major red flags – especially if you’re new to online dating. Afterall, we all want to find love so it’s easy to ignore some things in favor of enjoying that giddy feeling of having a crush just a little while longer. With that said, here’s a few warning signs that you definitely shouldn’t ignore when you meet someone online. If your online crush does any of these things…run!

1. Professes their love –

Be very wary of anyone who makes grand declarations of love or tries to move things along too quickly – especially if you’ve never met the person in real life. Yes, people do meet online and fall in love, but this takes time. It’s not instantaneous. Real relationships happen when you take things offline and spend time together. Sure it’s flattering when your crush tells you, “I falling in love with you and think you’re my soulmate. I want you as my girlfriend!” however, it’s also pretty creepy. I mean, these are serious declarations to make about someone – things that most people get pretty nervous about saying to another human being even when they’re been dating for awhile. You guys have never met. See where I’m going with this? Forced or premature intimacy is a major red flag.

2. Messages you constantly –

Boundaries are important. If your online crush messages or texts you constantly and then becomes mopey and/or angry when you don’t reply right away – run and fast! This kind of behavior screams neediness and signals that they don’t have a clear concept of other peoples boundaries. There’s definitely something to be said about being super excited to text your crush; however, if communicating with this person is so intense that it starts to feel stressful, this isn’t a good sign. If this is what they’re like when you haven’t even met in person, imagine what they will be like once you’ve actually gone on a date?! My point exactly.

3. Shows up unannounced somewhere –

So, you tell your online crush where you work or that you’ll be at a party somewhere…and BAM! They show up. If you live in a small town like I do, it’s not that uncommon to bump into people you’ve met online in person. However, showing up somewhere on purpose in hopes of “surprising” your online crush is not cool. First dates are stressful enough. No one likes to be caught off guard. By bypassing a first date, it means that they are trying to take the relationship offline before you’re ready which is once again, concerning.

4. Adds you to every social media outlet possible –

I love me some social media, however, I’d be pretty freaked out if someone I had just met online added me to all of their social media networks. I often avoid adding people that I’m dating to Facebook until I know the relationship is serious, for the sole reason that I don’t want to have to go through the awkward process of unfriending them later. Most normal human beings should understand this. Once again, the social media barrage could be a sign of “too much too soon” or a lack of understanding of boundaries. If you discuss this with them and they don’t seem to understand your concerns, run!

5. Doesn’t want to meet or at the very least, webcam –

The whole point of online dating is to meet people so you can actually go on dates. If your online crush avoids the topic of meeting up and refuses to even get on webcam with you – file this under “huge red flag.” If you click with someone online, you want to meet them sooner rather than later. The fact that they are avoiding showing their face could mean that they don’t want you to find out that they are not really who they say they are.

6. Asks you to come over –

As a general safety rule, first dates should always take place somewhere public. If someone asks you to come over to hang out, it may not necessarily mean they are trying to lure you into their den of evil, they might just be clueless about proper date etiquette. However, if they insist that you come to their house even after you’ve suggested a public place, be worried. At the very least, they’re just looking for a hook-up.

7. Dirty talk –

If your online crush initiates dirty talk or starts to get really sexually explicit, this is a surefire way to tell that they’re just looking for a hook-up and nothing else. If this isn’t what you’re after – run, run like the wind!