What is Catfishing and how do I spot it?
Catfishing is creating a fake online persona or using someone else's photographs and personal details to impersonate them in a scam. The goal of catfishing is to initiate a relationship with a victim, build trust, and extract personal information.
How do I know if I am being catfished?
How do I know if I am being catfished?
- They want to know your personal details.
- Conversations that get personal very quickly.
- You can't find any trace of them online.
- They ask you for money.
- They ask you to keep your relationship secret.
- They avoid face-to-face contact.
- Their stories don't add up.
- Keep safe: If you arrange to meet someone, meet them in a public place and always let someone know where you’ll be.
- Keep details private: Don’t share too many personal details, such as your full name, date of birth or bank details.
- Money matters: Don’t send money to someone you’ve never met in person, no matter what reason they give or how long you’ve been speaking to them.
- Check them out: Have a good look at the person’s profile and check if they’re genuine by putting their name, profile pictures or any repeatedly used phrases and the term ‘dating scam’ into your search engine.
- Can I tell from someone's photo if I am being catfished? Maybe not, but it's worth a try. Here's a quick and easy background check. Right-click their photos, copy the URL, and paste it in the box at images.google.com. Google will then search for other sources of that image online. If nothing is found, try a few photos and see what crops up.
- Report and block: If you become suspicious, most dating platforms and social media sites will let you report a member. You should also be able to block any members that make you feel uneasy or unsafe.