With a huge percentage of modern dating being conducted online these days, it’s fair to say that there are positives and negatives about the entire situation. Internet-based dating allows you to throw a wider net and interact with people that you otherwise would never have known, but it’s the biggest drawback is the fact that the people you connect with are not always who they appear to be! Here are nine ways to work out if you are being catfished.
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1. Check Profile
If you are using Tinder or similar, it is always useful to search the person’s name on all of the other social media platforms to see if they have a regular and human presence across those places. For instance, if they have a Facebook profile with just one picture, the same picture they are using on Tinder, then something might be up.
2. Reverse Image Search
Save the photos they are using and do a reverse image search on them. If they appear in another place that proves they were not taken by the person you are talking to, then you know that you are being catfished!
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Reverse image search is an effective way to determine if someone is being catfished. By saving the photos they are using and doing a reverse image search, it will show if the photos have been used elsewhere. If the photos have been used in another place, it is likely that the person you are talking to is not who they say they are. Catfishing is a serious issue, and it is important to be aware of the signs and take necessary precautions to avoid it.
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3. Friends List
Check out their friends list on Facebook. You can tell pretty easily if the list is filled with weird bot type accounts just to fill up the number. Use your instincts to decide whether the friends list is weird or not.
4. Google
There is more information about you to be Googled than you might think! Try it out with your own name to see what I’m talking about, and then Google your date’s name to see if the same kind of stuff pops up.
5. Face to Face
Early on, ask for some sort of face to face contact. It’s easy to keep sending pictures, but harder to FaceTime is you are pretending to be somebody that you are not!
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Establishing a video chat early in the relationship can be a key move in verifying someone’s identity. It’s much more challenging for someone to fake their appearance in a live video compared to a static photo. If your online friend is hesitant or consistently makes excuses to avoid video chatting, this could be a red flag. While some people may genuinely be camera-shy, it’s important to consider that they might be hiding something if they absolutely refuse to have any form of video interaction. Always trust your instincts and push for at least one video call – it can save you from a lot of potential heartache.
6. Don’t Feel Guilty
Don’t feel guilty or rude about asking and searching for confirmation; online dating is a serious business. And anyway, if the guy has nothing to hide, then he won’t mind being transparent and honest with you from the start!
7. Tell Friends and Family
Don’t keep your online interactions a secret. Relay the details to friends and family and they might have a different take on things that you do. Listen to what they think and maybe it will help you figure it out.
8. Be Hopeful
Be realistic, but also be hopeful. You can get into a bad state of mind by assuming that every single person you talk to online is catfishing you. It’s okay to give the benefit of the doubt, but just trust your gut.
9. Meet up with a Friend
The only way you will know for sure is to meet up with the person, but if you have even 1% doubt, then make sure that you meet up with a friend along for the ride. Safety first!
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