DEAR ABBY: I am a 58-year-old man who has been meeting women online for a few years. I recently met "Molly," whose profile said she was 60. We dated several times and then she spent a few days at my house. Certain things she said made me suspect she was older. So I looked her name up online and found out she was seven years older than she had advertised.
I consider lying on a dating profile to be similar to lying on a job application. When she asked me when she could come over again, I nicely said I couldn't consider a long-term relationship with someone her age.
So what's the penalty for putting false info on a dating profile? Grounds for dismissal, like with a job? -- WANTS SOMEONE MY OWN AGE
DEAR WANTS: Dating sites are a form of advertising, and as with "buying" any product, the rule is caveat emptor -- let the buyer beware. Many women -- and men -- fudge the truth on dating sites when stating their height, weight, age and income. (There's a saying in journalism: If your mother says she loves you, check it out.)
Not everyone ages at the same rate. Some people are "old" at 45. Others are healthy, vital and energetic at 70. Molly was able to pass for younger than her chronological age. If the number is that important to you, it's your right to move on. But being rigid about age could let a good person slip by. Everyone puts their best foot forward. Get used to it.