8 Signs You’ve Been Catfished

What Is Catfishing and How Does It Work?

What is catfishing in the context of internet relationships?
It is illegal to engage in catfishing when someone is in the process of constructing or adopting a false identity with the intent of enticing individuals into friendships or relationships online.

Essentially, the term “Catfish” refers to an online predator who would attempt to mislead people into communicating with them while being deceitful about their true identity and concealing themselves behind a fictitious or stolen persona.

 

 

 

 

An appealing or attractive false identity or profile is probably the most prevalent method used by “Catfishes” to deceive their victims. Then actively participate in groups, social media, and dating apps with the goal of making relationships or enabling people to come to them as a result of their efforts.

 

 

 

Why do people engage in catfishing?

What causes individuals to catfish others on the internet?
The true motivations for starting a catfishing business are seldom positive. Quite frequently, they are lonely and want to develop connections with individuals who they do not think or believe would be achievable in their actual life situations.

Some catfish are just interested in feeling liked or required by others. So earning someone’s attention, even if it’s via a fictitious character, may be gratifying and might develop a habit that is difficult to quit.

 

 

 

There is, however, a far more sinister aspect to catfishing and being catfished. Sometimes a catfish’s expectations of you go well beyond just conversing with him or engaging in an online relationship.

You should be aware that catfish may be hunting for some of the more sinister things in your life.

 

 

You should give them money or costly presents as a gesture of goodwill.
Information about you that is personal or private
Photographs or other materials to use against you as blackmail
They need access in order to troll, abuse, or harass you.
They want to know where you are so they can keep an eye on you or perhaps stalk you in person.

 

 

However, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the scope of what is conceivable. Preventing yourself from being a victim of catfishing on the internet is preferable than being regretful later down the road.

Consider the following indicators that you are being catfished on the internet and should be on the lookout for them…

 

 

 

1. They were the ones who made the first move.

Signs that you are being catfished are when they initiate contact with you.
Do you remember when they first started texting you? Are you unclear of how you became acquainted with them or how they came across your profile? Are they really nice and flirting right from the start of the conversation?

 

 

 

When a catfish is seeking for the person they want to deceive into an online connection, it is customary for them to embark on a search for that individual. They have you firmly pegged as the person they want to be talking to, just as they do while they are window shopping.

Additionally, Catfish will go to great measures to discover a little bit about you before you have your first interaction with him. They will often initiate contact and begin conversing with you or being pleasant about your profile, your appearance, and your hobbies. All of the things that they believe you will be interested in hearing.

 

 

 

It’s a method that they want you to fall in love with from the first moment you see it. That is precisely why it can be so persuasive. especially if they claim to know someone you recognize or to like the same kind of activities you do It’s an effort to establish a rapport right from the start of the conversation.

 

 

 

2. Their photographs have an unexplained strangeness about them.

There’s something weird about the people in the images.
Are you detecting anything out of the ordinary about their photographs? Do these seem to be taken by a professional or a model? Is it always the case that they are the only people in the photos? Do the images seem to be ancient, or do they appear to have been shot years apart from one another?

 

 

If you have a strong suspicion that something is really wrong with the images they are sharing with you, the odds are high that it is. It’s most likely because there is one. We’ve been exposed to enough fake social media and dating profile photographs to be aware that something isn’t quite right.

 

 

When a catfish shares photos with you, it might be a significant “Achilles Heel” for them to expose their true identity. One of the most straightforward methods of determining whether or not a catfish is lying to you is to thoroughly investigate where the photographs they shared with you can be located online (If anywhere). Then check to see if any of the names and profiles you come across correspond to them or their experiences.

 

 

 

The quickest and most straightforward method of doing this is to save the photographs they have supplied you. Then use Google’s “Search by picture” feature to do a reverse-image search. This will enable you to submit the photographs and check whether they have appeared anywhere online or if they have been indexed by Google.

 

 

 

 

It’s possible that you’re getting catfished on a regular basis, but it’s rare. It is possible that they have stolen the photographs from someone who has no idea that they are being used by them. They might be utilizing photographs of a celebrity, a model, or even simply photographs of others that they have saved and shared on social media as if they were their own.

If you are unable to locate any results while searching for the photographs, but you still have your doubts, see a professional. More clues that they are in fact a catfish may be found by reading the other symptoms in the section below.

 

 

 

 

The number of people who follow or friend them is limited.

Signs that they are a catfish include the absence of friends and followers.
If so, do their social media profiles have a dearth of friends and followers? Do they avoid interacting with anybody who seems to know them, or do they keep their friend lists hidden?

 

 

 

 

 

When someone is actually active on social media and actively publishes or engages with a large number of other people they know, this is known as “viral activity.” This is something we are all familiar with. They will post images or status updates on social media, and actual friends or family members will remark on or like the postings they make. They will also write comments and like the postings of other individuals, and they seem to be knowledgeable in their field.

 

 

 

 

 

If the person with whom you are conversing has a social media account, but it seems to be a hollow replica of what everyone else’s account looks like, you should proceed with caution. This is most likely an indication that something is wrong with the world.

When someone is catfishing, this happens rather often. They will regard having a social media presence as if it were a simple checkbox activity.

 

 

 

 They will fill out the bare minimum of information, connect their name to their tale and other accounts, and upload some of the photographs you may have previously seen, but that will be the extent of their contribution.

You should avoid following someone if they don’t seem to have any friends or followers, and their page has been active for a long time with postings stretching back months or even years with little to no participation from others. It’s a negative omen that something is wrong.

 

 

 

 

 

4. Your interests and hobbies are too similar to one another.

Your hobbies and interests are too similar to one another.
Do they simply happen to like the same kinds of activities that you do? Is it true that their articles and public comments are all tailored to your particular interests? Is it true that their knowledge of the same hobbies or interests merely scratches the surface of what they already know?

 

 

 

 

While it is fairly commonplace for individuals to have similar hobbies or interests, it is not always the case. The relationship gets a bit more questionable when it seems like the other person only wants to speak about it with you.

We frequently make it simple for a catfish to figure out what we like and don’t like by not being picky about what we eat. On social media, or even on dating sites, we may often highlight the activities we are interested in participating in or the interests we like pursuing in our spare time.

If this is the only thing you are disclosing to them at face value, this will be seen as a red flag by a catfish. 

 

 

 

 

They will utilize this to attempt to establish a relationship with you and discover whether you have anything in common with them. This typically comes under the area of them attempting to say what they believe you want to hear in order to get your approval.

 

 

 

 

If the individual with whom you are communicating online does not have their own interests, hobbies, or things they like doing, you should proceed with caution. If this is the case, it should raise red flags. They are not attempting to be distinct from one another. They are attempting to transform themselves into someone who is similar to you.

 

 

 

5. They make an effort to move the relationship along as quickly as possible.

Catfish is taking the connection ahead swiftly.
Is it their intention to move the relationship along as rapidly as possible with each conversation you have? Are they forceful or demanding when it comes to getting you to make the commitment they desire? Do they have unreasonable expectations of you before ever meeting you?
There are a plethora of catfishing horror tales available online, and many of them demonstrate just how rapidly things can escalate or how quickly the catfish will come-on to their prospective victims.

 

 

 

 

They will often use every trick in the book in order to tug at the heartstrings of the person with whom they are conversing. All in an attempt to move things along as soon as possible in order to bring oneself to the desired end result as quickly as feasible. Whether it’s a phony online love affair or something more sinister, be on the lookout for suspicious activity.

If they show no indications of slowing down and don’t heed your warnings that things are going too rapidly, you should consider taking action. If this is the case, it is a very negative indicator that you may be a victim of catfishing.

 

 

 

No sane individual would put up such effort to hasten the start of an internet relationship. This is especially true if the person with whom they are conversing is not comfortable with the pace at which things are proceeding. A catfish, on the other hand, would. They want to make certain that their own time is not squandered, even if it means doing so at the price of your own.

 

 

 

 

 

6. They assert that they do not have any social media profiles.

Catfish asserts that it does not have a social media presence.
Do you ever ask someone for their social media accounts and they claim they don’t have any to share with you? Is it possible that they are creating reasons for not utilizing social media?

While having a social media account these days is not a proof of someone’s identity, it is a good indicator of their personality. When you discover that the person you recently met on a dating app or via some other means does not have any active social media profiles, it might be a little frightening to hear.

 

 

 

 

When it comes to today’s society, it’s very rare to find someone who has absolutely no social media presence at all. Although they may no longer be active on social media, they may still have an old Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter account lurking around.

The reality is that a catfish is not interested in adding you on social media, even if they did have a profile, since they are well aware of the implications of doing so.

 

 

 

 

Given that they have already convinced themselves that you believe their wild stories, they are more likely to want to continue conversing with you at the location where you first came into touch. If that doesn’t work, they will try to trick you into signing up for a messaging app, which will disclose much less about them than any social network account ever could.

 

 

 

 

7. They are always requesting photographs of you.

Catfishing is when someone approaches you and asks for images of you.
Do they continually want more photographs of you while offering you nothing in return? Is it possible that they are trying to solicit you for racy photos? If so, do they want images of you in certain locations?

 

 

 

 

When contemporary smart-phones were introduced, it was not surprising that everyone now has the capacity to share images online and email photographs of themselves to friends and family. However, this is often a two-way street, with the sender sending as much as the receiver receiving. That’s a little bit of a trade-off. It doesn’t matter if the pictures are harmless or not, or what the context is.

 

 

 

 

If, on the other hand, the person with whom you are communicating online is continually asking you for fresh images or even making demands, you should be cautious. Things could start to seem uncomfortable after that, particularly if they aren’t willing to offer anything back in exchange.

 

 

If you are preparing to give someone internet images of yourself, but you have a sneaking suspicion that anything is wrong, stop right now! If you really do not know who this person is and have never met them, you should not say anything. If this is the case, there is no way of knowing who you are truly sending these photographs to.

 

 

 

 

Many of the catfishing horror tales include individuals being misled or persuaded into sending images of themselves to total strangers, which is called catfishing. They may not seem to be strangers since you may converse with them on a daily basis, but how can you know for sure? Do you have concrete evidence or are you relying on their word?

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. They never post any new pictures of themselves on social media.

Catfish never uploads any fresh photographs on his website.
Do they refuse to give you updated photographs of themselves or create reasons for not doing so? Is it possible that they are claiming to be without a functional camera or that they are camera shy when this does not seem to be the case in the photos you have previously seen of them?

 

 

 

 

 

Catfish are notorious for having a difficult time delivering you updated images of themselves, which is why you should be cautious when dealing with them. While in conversation with you, when you inquire about updated photographs of their appearance, they will provide you with reasons or attempt to shift the topic of the discussion.

 

 

 

Because they have stolen others’ identities and are posing as someone else in their photographs, this is simply the case. They are completely dependant on the credibility of the photographs they have previously shown you, and they would only be able to get fresh photographs from the person whose identity they are impersonating in order to share them with you.

 

 

 

For want of a better expression, this is why it is so frequent for many catfishing tales to entail the catfish sending or sharing just a limited number of photographs.
They will commonly steal these photos from models, celebrities, and other unwary individuals who freely publish photographs of themselves on the internet..

Despite the fact that they are not trying to trick you, they nonetheless want to draw you in with a few of visually appealing or beautiful photographs of themselves. As a result, the photographs that they do utilize are often of beautiful individuals who are posing on their own in the photograph..

 

 

 

Photos of ‘themselves’ that include friends, relatives, or groups of people are avoided by these individuals. They are increasing their chances of being caught red-handed as a result of this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. They avoid phone and video calls as if they were plagued by the plague.

Signs that you are being catfished include: avoidance of phone calls
Do you inquire as to whether you may contact them and get turned down? Were they going to avoid any mention of video chatting, as well as any potential to show their voice or face in real time?

 

 

 

One very typical characteristic that any catfish will disclose to you is their aversion to anything that has to do with phone conversations or video calls, which is really prevalent. They are adamant on just communicating with you through written communication or texting, and they will use whatever excuse at their disposal to avoid showing their face or speaking with you.

If they’re communicating with you using a smart phone. 

 

 

 

 

 

So why aren’t they simply picking up the phone and calling? If what they’re telling you in writing form is correct, why can’t they back it up with spoken words over the phone or on a video conference call with you?

 

 

 

The reality is that they may be reluctant to consent to speak with you on the phone or through video chat since doing so may expose their well planned and performed deceptions to you.

They may seem to be completely different from the photographs they have supplied with you, and they may even have a voice that does not fit their tale or looks to be a different age or gender from what you were anticipating it to be.

 

 

 

 

 

If the individual with whom you are communicating online avoids phone/video conversations, as shown by the plaque. Inquire as to why they would want to avoid this, and why you are prepared to make this commitment while they are adamant about avoiding it at any means. The motive behind it might be completely benign, or it could be something a bit more nefarious altogether.

 

 

 

 

 

10. They Demand Money or Gifts from You.

A catfish sign soliciting money and presents is shown.
Have they begun to approach you about borrowing money? Are they soliciting little loans from you, or are they just wanting presents from you?
This is the point at which things may get a bit more serious. If the person you have been conversing with online begins to drop subtle indications that they need money, or if they directly ask if they may borrow any from you, you should be concerned. This might be an obvious indication that they are catfishing.

Don’t ever transfer money to someone you haven’t met in person. It doesn’t matter how little the sum seems to be.

 

 

 

 

Catfish uses a variety of methods to deceive and manipulate people, and these methods are not always the same. There are people who are just interested in developing connections or interactions online under the guise of a fake identity and nothing else. Then there are individuals who want to take it a step further and manipulate people for their own financial gain or for their own objectives.

 

 

 

 

Astonishingly, a considerable number of individuals have fallen prey to catfishing, in which the catfish is able to persuade their victim into paying them enormous sums of money.

These quantities of money were often transferred in little increments, which made them difficult to track. The cumulative effect of this is that the catfish has conned someone into paying for their daily habits or way of life despite the fact that they have never met.

 

 

 

 

Rather than a catfish, they are more of a seasoned con artist at this stage in their career. Because they have perfected the art of manipulation, they are well-versed in the process of convincing someone to establish an emotional connection to them and their fictitious personalities in order to facilitate the exchange of money and presents.

 

 

 

 

 

11. Their explanation does not add up.

The tale of the catfish sign does not add up.
Do the tales they tell you are always changing? Is it possible that they are constructing an image of themselves with intricate tales, but with no real evidence that these things are true?

In order to earn your trust or sympathy, a catfish will attempt to pull on your heartstrings by telling you tales that will make you feel sorry for them. The goal remains constant at all times. They are attempting to establish an emotional connection with you as quickly as possible in order to move things ahead and get more commitment from you in terms of time and resources.

 

 

 

 

 

The words they are speaking to you don’t matter at all. Whether it’s about a future romance, love, or relationship troubles in their fictitious lives, they’re going to talk about it. Their primary goal is to elicit the emotional response they seek from you.

It is a frequent characteristic of a catfish to overshare personal information about themselves from the beginning of their relationship. You may have just spoken to them a few times, but they are already giving you tales about their childhood trauma, relationship difficulties, and even even financial difficulties. They are attempting to maintain your attention and keep you completely on the hook.

 

 

 

 

A number of these tales may be rehearsed to a high degree of success. They would have planned them out in their heads, anticipating the many responses that would occur in each situation. This is where textual communication works to their advantage to a great extent. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The power they have over what they write to you is significantly more than the control they would have over giving an answer they believe you would like to hear while speaking on the phone.

Although they are writing to you, they may make a mistake now and then while writing. It is possible that the accounts may conflict or even contradict anything you recall them stating before. This is a red signal that has to be kept on your radar at all times.

 

 

 

 

 

It is important not to make the mistake of believing that, if you are really being catfished, you are the only one who is being targeted. In conversation or while telling tales, one of the many typical ways catfish might get themselves into trouble is by giving several versions of the same story to different individuals.

 

 

 

 

 

It is difficult to understand why they would start with only one person when it would be so simple for them to tell the same or different tales to someone else at the same time?

It is understandable if they are attempting to lure others into bogus relationships or seeking financial gain from them. The fact that they may do this with several individuals not only increases their chances of forming new emotional connections with others but also spreading the risk of possible rejections is gratifying for them.

 

 

 

 

 

12. They are apprehensive about meeting in person.

Catfish-will-avoid-meeting-you-in-real-life
Do you invite someone to meet up with you, but they refuse to make any arrangements or create excuses? Does it seem like they’re continually changing and canceling arrangements, or even standing you up and refusing to show up?

Meeting someone for the first time who you’ve only ever spoken with on the internet may be a nerve-wracking experience. When you see each other for the first time, you may be overcome with emotions of excitement, worry, uncertainty, and dread about what could happen. This is normal.

 

 

 

However apprehensive you may be, meeting someone you have spoken with over time and with whom you have formed a strong relationship should only ever be a positive experience, shouldn’t it? Eventually, you get to know and see the genuine person who is hiding behind the messages and photographs.

No, not exactly, particularly if you have severe reservations about the person with whom you have been conversing and suspect that they may be purposefully catfishing you.

 

 

 

 

 

A catfish, on the other hand, may use every technique in the book to keep the discussion continuing with you online. When it comes to you personally requesting them to meet in person or conveying your wish to get to know them better face-to-face, here is where you should be most straightforward. This is where someone who is catfishing you may get themselves into serious trouble.

 

 

 

 

They know for a fact that if they have been deceiving you by using other people’s pictures, fabricating stories, or telling lies, they will be exposed. This means that when they meet you, they will reveal all of their deceitful behavior to you in its entirety. This is true regardless of whether the catfish is truly attracted to you or not.

 

 

 

 

This is precisely why they would make excuses, avoid talks about meeting up, or even go so far as to agree to meet but then stand you up and offer you a new set of justifications as to why they were unable to go.

 

 

 

 

If you find yourself attempting to set up a meeting between you and someone you have been communicating with online and they are aggressively avoiding it like the plague, you may want to reconsider your approach. You should take all of the symptoms that indicate that you may be a victim of catfishing very seriously.

 

 

 

If you have plans to meet someone you met online, but you have serious doubts about who they really are and whether or not they might be catfishing you, you should avoid meeting with them. Make sure to discuss this with close friends and family members, and don’t be hesitant to bring someone with you to the location of the arranged meeting. In the first instance, be cautious and make certain that they are in fact the same person you have been corresponding with online.

 

 

 

 

 

13. They Inquire About Your Personal Information.

Catfish attempting to obtain your personal information
Do they ask you for personal information such as your home address or information about your friends and family? Is it possible that they have attempted to get your passwords or login information for your social media accounts or, more critically, your online banking?

 

 

 

 

It is common for us to be rather open when sharing things on the internet, whether it is about letting others know where we live, going to work, or disclosing more and more about what we do in our everyday lives.

 

 

 

 

When something interesting happens in our environment, it’s in our nature to want to tell others about it. It helps to paint a picture of who we are as individuals and what we are truly all about.

But when it comes to catfish, this is something they can occasionally rely on to keep their catch fresh. Particularly if the motivations for their attempts to catfish you are a little more malicious in character.

 

 

 

 

 

If the person with whom you are conversing online initiates a discussion with you and starts asking you for your specific home address or other sensitive information about where you reside, you should be wary. This might be a very dangerous warning flag. You should think about why they are asking you this question. What exactly is the motivation here? Does it really matter whether they claim it’s so they can send you a letter or a present if that’s not the genuine reason?

 

 

You should make every effort to avoid disclosing any personal information in an open forum on the internet. This holds true even if you have never met the individual in question in person. There is no way to know what this person would require this information for unless you know who they are. There is also no way to know how this information might be exploited or misused until you know who they are.

 

 

 

 

There are a number of other things you should avoid sharing with someone online about whom you have reservations, such as:

Information about you or your identification that is not publicly available.
Friends or family members’ personal details in great detail.
Personal financial information, such as bank account numbers and loan information, credit or debit card details, and so forth.
Password and login information — for social media, email, banking, and other online services, for example.

 

 

Your daily schedule – where you will be each day, the exact locations, when you will be alone at home and when no one will be at home, and so forth..
Work-related information – Specifics about where you work, grievances with coworkers, or work-related events, for example.
Some of the information that you should avoid revealing with someone who you suspect of being a catfish are listed above.

Never discuss any of these details with someone you do not know well or who you have not seen face to face. While it may be difficult to keep these ‘things never to reveal’ hidden in the back of your mind while the talk is flowing freely, always strive to keep them there in case the conversation does.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14. When you tell them about your suspicions, they change their behavior.

Catfish don’t like it when they’re caught in the act.
Have you attempted to confront them about your suspicions and the fact that things don’t seem to add up? They get furious or agitated if you accuse them of being a catfish, or antagonistic if they do not seem to be sincere in their communication with you.

 

 

 

 

Calling someone out on their lies or deceptions is one of the most difficult things to do when you have doubts or suspicions about someone you are communicating with online. This is especially true if you believe there is a chance you could be mistaken and you have been conversing with the individual for a long period of time.

 

 

 

 

 

In order to continue a discussion or maintain an ongoing connection, you must not only contend with the thoughts and emotions associated with the possibility of being in the wrong, but also with the possibility of being correct and the repercussions this would have for you both.

When it comes to having reservations about whether or not the person you are communicating with online is who they claim to be, you are not alone. 

 

 

 

 

 

Trust your instincts and don’t be hesitant to use them. Some of the signals or red-flags may have been matched against them, and you may have a strong gut sense that something is odd or not quite right about them or what they are saying to you.

 

 

 

The worst thing that can happen to a catfish is for them to discover that they have been rumbled by you. Knowing that the game is up and that you are beginning to see things for what they truly are can frequently result in a sudden shift in behavior. It is possible that you may have a harsh response from them and that they will exhibit a rapid shift in personality.

When they realize that their lies have been exposed, they may become anxious, scared, or even angry at the prospect of no longer having you to confide in. 

 

 

 

 

 

However, it is entirely up to them to demonstrate to you who they truly are within the scope of their own actions.

Any real individual who cares about you or your emotions would do all in their ability to set your mind at rest, or to demonstrate that your concerns were unjustified or incorrect, whichever is the case. They would also at the very least try to understand why you have these feelings or thoughts about them not being genuine, and they would make an effort to help you move past them.

 

 

 

 

A catfish, on the other hand, would almost always respond hostilely to your charges that they were not real or that they were lying. They may attempt to place blame on you for your feelings, make excuses, and give nothing more to set your mind at rest or demonstrate their sincerity in their interactions with you.
They might have been the warmest and most welcoming person on the planet to you. However, when the accused begin to completely change their character and lash out at your attempts to communicate your suspicions to them, you should be concerned. This is a really terrible omen, because it often indicates just one thing. They’re keeping something from us.