Major Warning Signs You Are Being Catfished!

Danger hiding in plain sight

Sadly, catfishing is a growing trend affecting people of all ages, genders, and ethnicities alike. Be sure and read to the end to learn more about this bizarre phenomenon.

What is Catfishing?

Catfishing is a term used when someone has been deftly persuaded into believing a fictional online identity is genuine. The online identity is generally an extremely attractive individual or can even be a popular, well-known celebrity. The bottom line is that the entire identity is completely fake. The profile was created specifically to trick another person for the express purpose of manipulation, fraud, and/or financial ruin.

We all spend a great deal of time online. We shop, connect with old friends, and stay connected to family and friends, both far and near. A new advent of the internet age is meeting new friends and online dating. And although there have been many safe, great, genuine connections have been made, there is a very dark lurking danger that many people do not seem to be aware of until it’s too late.

There is a “catfish playbook,” so to speak, that provides many red flags that should keenly alert anyone that the individual they are chatting with online may be part of a very sophisticated catfish scam. Below are some of the most common indicators that an online relationship is not genuine and may be a scam.

• They are too good to be true: When listening to catfish scam survivors, they almost always start out with, “I couldn’t believe this gorgeous person wanted to chat with me!” Imagine you are in a public place, loaded with all types of people, would a super gorgeous individual significantly younger than you come over to chat with you? If so, would you be suspicious? It is simply not realistic for a multi-millionaire gorgeous fellow or supermodel girl to choose someone the age of their parents (or grandparents) to have a prolonged conversation with or especially to develop a deep, intimate romantic relationship. It just doesn’t happen.

• They are available to chat ALL THE TIME: Catfish scammers do this as a job. It is their career. They are online all day, chatting with as many people as possible. People just like you. It is how they make their living. Their only job is to keep you online and engaged in conversation for as long as possible. They are very convincing and can come across as extremely genuine.

• They rarely use your name. Because they are chatting with so many other people at the same time, they will frequently use common terms of endearment, such as:

  • Sweetie

  • Dear/Dearie

  • My Queen/King

  • Babe

  • Beautiful/Handsome/Gorgeous

  • Honey/Hunny

You get the idea!

• The relationship escalates very quickly: After a few weeks, or even DAYS, your new chat buddy will tell you they are IN LOVE! Imagine that!? They will explain that they have grown so close to you and feel they can trust you with anything! This should set off major alarms and send you running in the opposite direction! Sadly, so many people are somehow even further drawn in by this and will even respond, me too!

• Their life suddenly blows up: Your new buddy will suddenly need money for food, gas, and bills to take care of kids, parents, or their dog/cat/bird, etc. Even though they previously assured you they were extremely wealthy and would take care of all your needs, suddenly, their bank and assets have been unexpectedly frozen, their long-term project disastrously fell through, and THERE IS NO ONE ELSE WHO CAN HELP THEM BUT YOU! This is a frequently used tactic by scammers, much like the predictable rising of the sun each and every day.

• They suddenly ask for money: Sometimes, they will say they need only a few dollars for dinner, gas, or whatever. Did you eat today? I didn’t! Can you please send me a gift card? DO NOT DO IT! Once they know they can get you for a few dollars, they will almost inevitably ask for more. Under no circumstances should you exchange banking or credit card information, your passwords, or even mention days you get paid.

• They want to know all your personal history: They will want to know your kids’ names, pet names, mother’s maiden name, birth dates, etc. Where did you go to elementary and high school? Do you see where this one is going?

• They can’t meet in person or chat face-to-face: Modern technology makes face-to-face chatting simple. With online video options such as Zoom, WhatsApp, Google Meetup, etc., it’s super easy to chat quickly from anywhere. Catfish scammers will devise every excuse not to have an online video chat with you. Furthermore, even though they may initially agree to a meeting in person, something will inevitably come up to delay or postpone the meeting entirely, even if you have already paid for the tickets for them to travel to you.

We know putting yourself out there is difficult, especially if you have suffered a personal tragedy or loss. In reality, if you are not ready to meet someone in person, meeting someone online isn’t such a good idea either. Give yourself time to heal, get help, find support, and take care of yourself first.

Thankfully, most places are all out of shutdown and pandemic mode, and socializing is once again a happy norm. A great option to consider would be to join a local club or gym, take a class, or learn a much-desired new hobby. There are plenty of places to meet like-minded individuals with values and interests that align with yours. We get that it is super easy to strike up a conversation online with a complete stranger, but that has its pitfalls and dangers, as you have hopefully learned a bit about today.

Finally, some great trusted online resources are available to help out if you or someone you know has concerns that your online pal may not be the real deal. One spot we can recommend to visit is socialcatfish.com. They provide several value-added resources to help you and your friends best determine whether the online pal is the real deal.

Stay safe.