Subject: Acting upon Red Flags

Info:: I began communicating on line with someone in May. We wrote quite frequently and in July decided to meet. We live only 2 miles from each other, plus he had pictures posted on the site that we first met. I assumed that if someone had something to hide then they certainly would not be submitting a picture. We began dating, and due to our careers we only were able to arrange dates once every 2-3 weeks, though we e-mailed daily and spoke on the phone several times a week. When we would speak on the phone, he would call me at work or at home, always from work or on his cell (even when he was home).  I was starting to think about this and I asked him on two occasions for a home phone number- both of these requests were ignored.After a relationship lasting 5 months, I decided to end it because I felt that without actually time being spent together, this was a fantasy relationship. We met, agreed to remain friends and I thought that was the end. Two days later I attended a party and met someone that used to work with this man and he proceeded to tell me that this man is married. I was sure it was a case of mistaken identity so the next morning I e-mailed and point blank asked him if he was married- I even had the name of his wife. I thought that maybe he would see that I had completed some investigating, and that he would "come clean". Well, he denied everything so I contacted this site and had a complete background search done which of course indicated a marriage in 1998, even a criminal record in Texas. I felt it my obligation to tell his wife because I believe I am the first person "who found him out". I had the information in front of me as I related the past 5 months, and unfortunately this woman is in denial, plus she said nonchalantly that she knew of his internet activity( I believe she was referring to his downloading of pornography). I don't think she knew that he was dating, right under her nose. I told her "MARRIED PEOPLE DO NOT DATE" and I told her that I was sorry that he had used me to cheat on her. I have since met two other women who had been dating this man and my first response to them was to be more careful of who they correspond with. That people can lie very realistically and without investigating tolls such as this, people are left to believe what other say. At first I was truly devastated my the information I discovered but felt empowered by telling others my story, and also by informing his wife.