Wolf In Sheep's Clothing 101

Anyone who has tried out online dating knows that finding love online can be a risky endeavor. Who's telling the truth? Whose profile is filled with little white lies? Who's trying to scam you? Who's not actually single? Who has practically invented an entirely new persona for their online dating life? It's enough to make you wish that there were lessons in how read the honesty of a person's profile based on the information it contains.

Well you're in luck: such lessons do exist. Maria Coder, a 35-year-old PR manager from New York City, teaches women how to distinguish the princes from the frogs in a class called "Wolf in Sheep's Clothing 101." For the last few years, Coder has been honing her detective skills and developing techniques to determine whether her dates actually are who they say they are, and now she's bringing the results of her research to other single women.

Coder calls her methods "investidating," a collection of tips and tricks to develop your sixth sense, research a prospective date, and expose the con-artists that are lurking behind anonymous online screen names. Students learn how to perform a basic analysis of an online dating profile, and how to continue their sleuthing using social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Lessons are given on how to interpret body language, gauge income level, and verify information like employment and academic history.

Online services can also help a curious women determine whether or not a man she's interested in is being honest. Take Gender Genie, for example, which uses an algorithm to predict the gender of the person who wrote a piece of text. Singles who are wondering if a man had help writing his profile can use the service to learn more, Coder suggests. She also advises women to check public records to see if a date has ever been involved in a civil suit, and to call the alumni office of his alma mater to determine that he actually studied there.

"In this day and age of speed dating, random meetings, and online hookups," says Coder's Web site, "a girl and a guy can never be too sure; unless, of course, they take matters into their own hands." She offers other classes for advanced learners, like "Are You Dating an A*S?," and maintains a blog full of tips for women who are looking for more ways to catch the connivers.