Want to try online dating? Buyer beware

Thinking about trying online dating? Some people have found varying degrees of success, while others have experienced unexpected "obstacles."

We spoke to a few women who've opened themselves up to dating sites (and who we identify by their first initial), such as Tinder and OKCupid, with some "surprising" results.

"Dating in modern times is an experience," says Ms. T, who tried online dating after her friends had some success.

She got several responses, but only one guy appealed to her. After several messages, she told him she wasn't comfortable meeting someone who didn't have a profile photo. He gave what she thought was a reasonable explanation, which had to do with his job.

After a few more exchanges, none of them "creepy," she gave him her number so he could send a picture. He sent three; all normal.

"Just a man living his life," she says.

She was out to lunch with friends, so didn't get to respond. A few minutes later, he sent a text saying the photos weren't his best. Still busy, she didn't respond.

Five minutes later she got an inappropriate photo. This time she responded. After calling him disgusting, she blocked him.

"I left online dating. I'm an educated, successful, decent looking woman who has my stuff together. I wanted to date and find a man to have a family with, but I didn't have time for creeps like that."

Random occurrence? Nope.

Ms. J is on a few dating sites. For every 10 messages she receives, at least two have an inappropriate photo as a profile picture, or he sends one with his first message. Another three to five send one as soon as she replies to their message.

"It usually goes 'Hi, how are you?' 'Good, and you?' 'Good thanks.' "

And then the photo.

She says when she first tried online dating she thought it would be rude to not reply to everyone who messaged her.

"Wrong, wrong, wrong! Too many men mistake politeness for permission."

Ms. D's experience is the same. "It's happened so much over the years, they all blend together. I'd say one in every three guys I've talked to sent one right after the hello. I'm so over the online thing. It's like a license to be inappropriate."

Ms. L is a popular author with an active online presence. She was conversing with a younger man who expressed interest in writing and asked for tips for aspiring authors.

"I began prattling on about the craft," she says.

He expressed his gratitude and said she'd make an excellent teacher.

"In fact, he wished I had been his teacher, of the Mary Kay LeTourneau variety."

He followed up with an inappropriate photo.

The second time Ms. L fell victim to an unsolicited selfie was from someone on Tinder. Thing is, she'd already met someone there, someone she's very happy with, so she politely told him she was seeing someone.

"Apparently that sent him into Competition Mode, because he sent me a photo of him with his shirt off. When I didn't respond, he seemed to think that he hadn't shown enough skin to impress me."

The next photo offered way more than she was interested in seeing.

For those who think it's OK to send a photo like this, Ms. J says you're wrong.

"Never in the history of ever (I'd wager) has a woman been like 'I kind of liked him, but it was his (inappropriate) picture that sealed the deal!!"