Congratulations! You’ve taken the plunge into online dating, and now you’re successfully connecting with several potential dates. Good for you!

Your email inbox is humming with activity, really feeling the love these days. Your outbox is full of spark and wit; you’re such a good catch! Isn’t email a great way to get to know someone? For a few days, you almost can imagine that the person on the other end is all that and a bag of chips.

But what do you do if she should happen to reveal she’s in a cult? Or he won’t leave the house without his seven cats?

Thanks, but no thanks
How do you orchestrate a ceremonious dumping when you haven’t even met the victim? You might think that no physical contact would make saying “no thanks” easier, but anyone who frequently checks email and never receives anything new can tell you that rejection is rejection — no matter how you sugarcoat it.

Proceed with caution, keeping a few things in mind:

1. Be direct
   Don’t initiate any more contact, and reduce your number of replies. Don’t respond with as much detail. However, if you send four or five lines and get a book in return, you might have to get a little blunt.
   
   
2. Turn them off
   Throw in some "facts" about yourself that might turn the other person off (even if they're not quite true): "I find showering every day to be excessive and wasteful, don’t you agree?" or "Why do we have to tip fifteen percent at restaurants? I usually just leave two bucks no matter what the bill is." If you still receive replies that remind you of an enthusiastic puppy, you’re going to have to be more direct.
   
   
3. Do the right thing
   No matter what, be kind and honest. Be clear that you do not plan to continue corresponding. "I’ve enjoyed chatting with you, but I just get the feeling we’re not meshing. Thanks for taking the time to learn more about me, and best of luck in your search for romance."
   
   

The Internet is filled with quality singles like yourself who just want to meet your match. If possible, meet early on in a public place. You’ll know pretty quickly if there’s enough chemistry to warrant pouring out your heart into your keyboard.