However, this comes with its fair share of challenges. First, the person that you are dating online is a complete stranger. Apart from what you see or they say about themselves, you might not know anything else about them. Some of these people have fake profiles and are just there to have fun with you by catfishing you. Fortunately, there are several ways you can avoid and overcome online dating catfishing. So if you want to look for love online, don’t let dating scammers scare you. In this dating guide, we are providing some of the most effective tips on how to avoid dating scammers. So what does catfishing mean on the internet? let’s start with defining catfishing.
What is Catfishing?
Catfishing in dating means luring unsuspecting people into relationships using a fake identity. The vice is very common with online dating where it is very difficult to tell a fake profile from a genuine. Imagine a dating 30 years old man online only to realize you’ve been wasting time with a 15-year-old girl on the other end? That is how catfishers work. They make profiles that suit their target’s needs and make the target believe they are who they say they are. In worse cases, criminals such as serial killers are using dating sites to find their targets. That’s why you should be careful about catfishers if you are dating online.
How to Find Out That You Fall Into Dating Fraud
For those who are dating online, it is essential to know whether you’re being catfished. That is because it will help you avoid wasting time with jokers. It can also mean life and death in some extreme cases. So how do you tell that you are being catfished? Well, several red flags that are likely to start popping up.
The first, if the date is avoiding to voice calls or video calls but text messaging only, you should get concerned. If you have their number, do a reverse phone lookup with apps like Spokeo to find their real identity. A comprehensive reverse number lookup with such an app will also produce their genuine social media profiles. If the account of your online date has very few friends, this should also be a red flag. The account could be fake. The other way of telling whether you are being catfished is by using Google reverse image search. If the image can be linked to someone else, then you are being catfished. Last but least is the pictures uploaded on the profile. If you find that the profile has just a couple of professional pictures uploaded, then this is a red flag for you. Real people post everything, including their day to day activities, friends and family.
Tips To Avoid Online Dating Scam
For those who are dating online, the possibility of falling victim to catfishers is very high. These cases seem to increase every day, and that’s why you need to protect yourself. There are several things that you can do to avoid being catfished. Here are three ways:
Request For A Physical Meeting
The first thing you should do after knowing each other is requesting for a physical meeting. There are several things that such a meeting helps to solve. You will be able to get the actual look of the person, age and other features you couldn’t find on their profile. The main thing, you should meet your online friend in the place with a big number of people around, f.e. it can be a good restaurant – do not give him/her the opportunity to choose the place (it can be the part of the scam), choose it by yourself using restaurant reservation service, which provides menu options, location, reviews, prices, restaurant floor plan and also special offers and discounts. If they are not will to meet with you or they are far from you, then they should accept a video call using apps such as Skype. If none of that works, they are likely to be catfishers.
Use Google Image Search
This is an app that helps you to know if the image used is theirs it’s shared with other people. If you notice the pictures they have posted on their profile are downloaded or has multiple users, you are most likely to be catfished.
Reverse Number Lookup
Most dating sites require a phone number to activate your account. If you have your date’s numbers, you can try reverse number lookup using apps such as Spokeo. These apps will provide you will all the personal information about them. You will have access to their real social media profiles as well as criminal information if they have had any. So a good phone number search with Spokeo can help avoid being a serial killer target.
Fake Online Profiles
Catfishing starts by creating fake profiles that are used to lure unsuspecting people. So if you can be able to spot a fake online profile, then it will be easy to avoid getting catfished. There are ways that you can spot a fake online profile: a) Pictures Used It is easy to spot a fake online platform by just checking the kind of images. Do they look stock pictures? If yes, you need to dig deeper. If the whole profile has just one or a handful of photos, then that should raise your suspicion. b) Marital Status What is the marital status of the profile owner? This is another trick that you need to take into consideration. Scammers usually use widower or widow as their status to lure people who think they are desperately looking for love. Avoid profiles with such status. c) Empty Profile Sections You need to take a keen interest in the quality of the profile. The information in every section of the profile is crucial. If there are empty sections, these red flags of a fake profile. In case they had left a phone number, do a reverse number lookup with Spokeo to get information about the owner. If you notice any forms of discrepancies, don’t waste your time with them.
Overcome Catfishing
Catfishing is one of the most heartbreaking experiences if you are dating online. You also waste a lot of time with someone who doesn’t deserve you. If you get catfished, please see a counselor because it could lead to depression. We also recommend talking to a friend or a family member you can confide to. To protect others, report the fake account.
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Conclusion
If you are dating online, you are prone to fall victim to catfishers. However, with adequate knowledge, you can easily spot these fake profile by just looking at kind of pictures used. Doing a thorough background using apps such as Spokeo to reverse number lookup can also be of great help in unmasking a dating scammer.
