There are many success stories of people finding their “one true love” through online dating. It is, after all, a great way to meet and flirt with people from around the country. That’s why many people flock to online dating apps like Tinder, hoping to find the man or woman of their dreams. Unfortunately, scammers know how much people want to meet the love of their lives. So they disguise themselves as somebody good-looking to grab your attention.
Catfishing, where someone pretends to be somebody else, commonly happens in online dating apps and social media. They will play with your emotions and wrap you around their fingers until you end up giving them all your love and money. These catfishing scumbags are getting better and better at scamming people. So you need to learn how to tell if you’re being catfished.
What’s a Catfish?
Catfishing is a term used for people who pretend to be somebody else online to trick someone into having a relationship with them. They steal pictures of attractive people to create fake identities. Aside from photos, catfishers also include jobs, life experiences, and jobs on their fake accounts to make them look real.
One infamous catfishing story involves a love-struck guy who believed that he was dating Katie Perry—of all people! He exchanged emails with this fake Katie for six years. As it turned out, the person behind the fake email address was a British woman named Harriet. And, to make matters worse, Harriet wasn’t even straight. She had no interest in men whatsoever.
What are the Common Signs of a Catfish?
If you have an online lover who keeps asking for money and then suddenly disappears, you got catfished—meaning you got fooled into getting into a relationship with a person with a fake identity. Here are other signs that will tell you how to know if you’re being catfished.
1. They Don’t Want to Meet Up
A catfish on Tinder will refuse to call, video chat, or meet with you. If this has gone on for a few months already, they’re definitely hiding something from you. Don’t let it drag on for years and end the relationship immediately.
2. Their Sob Stories are Too Extra
Most catfishers have sob stories to make you feel pity for them. One of the most common catfishing stories is that they’ve enlisted in the army and are being deployed to a country currently at war. They may also drop hints that they need money. And because you care and feel bad for them, you’ll send them money. Don’t fall for it. It’s one of the oldest tricks in the catfishing book.
3. They’re Moving a Little Too Fast
If someone you’ve never met in real life is pushing your relationship a little too hard in the serious direction after only a short time, you might be getting catfished. And if they start asking you for money, run the other way as fast as you can.
4. They Use Pictures of Famous People
Is your online lover’s profile picture insanely gorgeous? Extraordinarily beautiful people don’t just randomly appear on online dating apps. So before you get too excited, do a quick reverse Google image search to verify whose picture it really is.
Takeaway
Catfishers are masters of manipulating emotions and can make you believe anything they want you to believe. They can sweet talk almost anyone into doing anything for them. So it’s not your fault if you get caught in their web of lies. But by being aware of the red flags we’ve shared, you never have to be a victim of catfishing ever again.
