How to Avoid Being Catfished on Social Media and Online Dating Platforms

According to a survey from the Pew Research Center, three out of ten US adults have used dating apps, and 40% of these users report that dating apps have made their lives easier. Furthermore, about 70% of people who have met someone via an online dating app reported that the event led to a romantic, exclusive relationship. 

So, it’s a fact. The digital world can make our dating lives smoother. Dating apps do this not only by making it easier to meet people but also by helping us hone in on people we have a real chance of being attracted to and interested in.

Unfortunately, if you’re swimming in online dating waters, you’ll need to look out for catfish. Not every dating profile is a real person looking for love. Some online accounts are created by people looking to develop fake relationships to create mayhem or for financial gain.

What is Catfishing?

Catfishing refers to the practice of assuming a fake online persona to mislead someone into starting an online relationship or, frequently, to commit financial fraud.

The origin of the word catfish in this context was the 2010 documentary Catfish about the executive producer’s experience of being catfished by a 40-year-old housewife named Megan who assumed the fake persona of an 18-year-old girl. 

Her husband tells a story about how catfish were shipped with live cod to keep the cod active and provide a better product on delivery. He says that Megan is like that catfish, keeping the lives of those around her active and interesting.

The comparison stuck and is now synonymous with the use of fake online personas to trick people into romantic relationships.

Here’s some advice to help you navigate online dating safely and avoid being catfished in a world where people can so easily hide their true identities online.

The Most Common Warning Signs of Catfishing

Whether you’re using a dating app or another venue online, these tips will help keep you safe from romance scams and avoid frustration and financial loss.

Note that no one of these is intended to be a sure sign of catfishing. However, if you spot several of these warning signs, that can give you a good indication that all may not be as it seems.

It sounds too good to be true …

An excellent way to avoid being tricked online is to follow your instincts. The adage, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true,” is an excellent phrase to keep in mind. 

The profile or messages of a catfisher may well sound like fiction. The reason for that is because it is. It’s also possible that they’ll be reticent. They may share very little about themselves while being fascinated by you (and your personally identifiable information).

They’ve just met you and yet they’re in love with you? Sound like fiction? Of course, romance happens like this sometimes, but remember that it’s the exception to the rule. If the things the potential catfisher is saying don’t add up, don’t ignore the feeling. You might be right.

Urgency

When people need a response urgently, it’s often a sign of a scam. The perpetrator is playing on the old hard sell tactic to get the result they want fast. It’s easier to do this when the victim doesn’t have time to reflect or ask for advice.

If your online dating match is putting you under pressure, do those very things that a catfisher wouldn’t want you to do! Reflect and ask for advice.

The phone just rings and rings

Maybe you’ve got your contact’s number because it’s on their profile. Or maybe they sent it to you. But if that number simply rings and rings when you call it, it’s a sign that the person isn’t who they say they are. 

There are lots of reasons not to answer a phone call. Maybe they are at work or sleeping in. Maybe the phone is on silent. But then maybe your hot date isn’t that hot. Nor a date.

If your contact never or rarely answers, you should consider it evidence that they may not be what or who they claim to be. People often avoid taking calls in public when they have something to hide. 

No followers, no friends

Catfishers can be good at putting together fake profiles. However, if you look carefully, you can spot the common signs of catfishing right there on their profile page.

Most people online have friends and a few followers. Typically, social media accounts offer users opportunities to make connections and people share their lives with others. A social media account with very few friends or even no friends and followers suggests that someone has very recently created their account or that they don’t have a real network of people around them.

Some catfishers play the role of multiple people to get around the problem of not having many friends online. They fabricate their own friends and followers. So look out for a lack of interactions with people online, as well as very few friends and followers.

A lack of pictures

Most people online have some evidence of having a life. Even if they’re not sharing pictures of themselves, other people often are. 

A profile that contains a handful of professional-looking portraits is a giveaway of a fake account. Some sloppy shots of something the person did or a place they visited would make the profile seem more rounded and realistic. 

Profile pictures that don’t change

Another thing to look for when you’re scrolling through someone’s profile page is profile photos that have never or rarely been changed. 

Real people tend to update their profile pictures from time to time. Something interesting happens or they get a shot that captures a moment, and they update their page. If you’re a catfisher using stock photography, you’re more likely to stick with one or two good fake photos posted online from the selection you’ve managed to source.

They avoid meetings or video calls

Because a catfisher is assuming a fake online identity, they avoid live video calls. Note that this doesn’t mean that the catfisher won’t suggest a video call or say they want to meet. Meeting up or doing a video chat might be their idea, but invariably, something will come up. 

It might not be the right time. They might get ill. They may go out of town. They may oversleep. They might get lost. So look out for apparently good intentions that lead nowhere. A catfisher can’t meet you, because then the game would be over. 

How to Avoid Being Catfished While Online Dating

Verify with a people search site

One of the best ways to avoid being catfished is to verify the details of the person you’re engaging with. People search sites allow you to check out someone’s email, phone number, or other contact information so you can at least see if they’re who, what, and where they claim.

Nuwber makes this easy, as it has up-to-date, accurate contact details — and other useful information, like social media profiles — of millions of US citizens. You can search for a person by their name or phone or do a reverse email lookup to check that the person you’re communicating with is the real deal.

You should do this kind of search as a matter of course if you’re online dating. It’s not personal. It’s essential catfish-prevention behavior.

Trust your instincts

Above all, when it comes to protecting yourself online, trust your instincts. It might seem a little strange to talk about instincts in a world of data, bots, and written messages, but we’re highly attuned to things that don’t add up.

We might not be able to explain it, but we often have a feeling that something is … off. Listen to that voice. And take action to see if you’re being catfished.

Ask for specific photos

If you ask for a photo, the person may be able to source another professional image and claim it is them. A specific photo, however, such as a shot taken at a particular place where they claim to be present, or a shot while holding an object or written note that you specify, can help prove that the person exists.

You should also be aware that scammers develop pretty good Photoshop skills. You can remove backgrounds online in just a few seconds. Image manipulation software can help catfishers to perpetrate their deception. 

Perform a Google reverse image search

A reverse image search is an excellent way to spot a scammer who has created a false profile. Catfishers may use freely available stock photography to attract attention and give their profile a sense of realism. 

With that being said, just as you can search their contact details to see who they really belong to, you can use Google to do work backward from an image and see the providence of the image and where else it has been used.

To perform a reverse image search on Google, visit Google.com, choose Search by image, and drag or upload the image file. Alternatively, you can search by URL by pasting it in the text box that says Paste image link.

Insist on a live video call

Arranging to meet and accepting zero excuses is really a way to back a potential catfish into a corner. 

If you decide to meet in person someone you’ve only ever met online, do so safely. That means arranging to meet in a public place and giving at least a couple of trusted people the details. You could also arrange to visit them with a friend or two.

It’s safer to insist on a live video call. Hold your line, but don’t hold your breath.

Catfishing FAQ

What does catfishing mean?

Catfishing refers to someone creating a fake online persona to deceive others. Catfishers typically want to enter into a fake romantic relationship with their victim. 

When did catfishing become a thing?

Creating fake accounts to pursue false online relationships was called catfishing after the eponymous 2010 documentary Catfish, which followed Nev Schulman as he discovers that the 18-year-old girl with whom he is in a romantic online relationship is a 40-year-old housewife who hid her true identity to get close to him.

While the term catfishing came into active usage around 2010, the phenomenon has likely been around as long as the internet. Still, it’s increasingly common and perpetrator’s techniques are increasingly sophisticated.

Is catfishing dangerous?

Yes, it can be. While catfishing may start as fun for the perpetrator, the consequences to victims can be cruel, humiliating, and even fatal. 

Abductions, murders, and suicides are among the most notable instances of fatalities due to catfishing. These are the tragic consequences of an individual creating a fake identity on social media platforms to target people, immerse themselves into the life of a potential victim, and manipulate them. 

Catfishers often seek deeply personal information or ask their potential victims to send photos and videos of a sexual nature. Threatening to reveal these images or videos can lead to low self-esteem and even increased incidences of mental illness for the victims. 

Is catfishing illegal?

Impersonating another person online is not illegal. However, the act of catfishing can lead to illegal activity, including copyright infringement and fraud if they try to scam money.

What do I do if I think I’m being catfished?

If you think that you’re being catfished, discontinue your conversation(s) with the perpetrator. If you haven’t already, do not send personal details. Do not send photos. Do not send money. 

Check your accounts — banking and otherwise — to see if they’ve been compromised.

Take screenshots of profiles and conversations, as these can be deleted by the perpetrator or the platform. The evidence could be useful. 

You should report your suspicions so that the profile can be investigated and so other people can be protected. You should also block the profile so they cannot contact you through this fake account.

Related Posts