Catfishing is a common problem on online dating sites and social media. Some people will create a fake profile and begin conversing with other people online. Over time trust begins to build up and you or someone you love can become a victim. There are a lot of dangerous people who use catfishing as a means to steal money, identities, or worse. A number of murders and rapes began with the use catfishing. Catfishing can become a serious situation and it is important for online users to be able to spot a catfish before it is too late. Advanced Private Investigator & Security of Miami, FL will share how to spot a catfish scheme and prevent you from becoming another victim.
Am I Being Catfished?
There are many indicators to look for in a catfish profile. It is common these days to have more than one social media or online dating account. For those with multiple accounts, at times you may find the same picture of a person but with very different profile information. Another sign of catfishing is when there is very little information on the profile. At times, some people will leave certain information on social media or on their profile to help protect themselves. It’s normal to leave out birthdates and their full or exact name. However, if the entire profile is missing or more than normal information is missing, this could be a sign of catfishing. Another sign that a profile is clearly a catfish is when the profile picture looks like the same picture but is cut to appear in different places. There are some artists that can cut out picture of a stock photo found online and make them look as if they are in different places to help make their catfish site more convincing. Also watch out for a single head shot photo of a person. This can be a sign of a lazier catfishing attempt. On dating websites, or even on social media sites, catfishers will post things about themselves to make them seem more appealing to others. They love to write about impossible successes. Another strategy catfishers like to use is creating a sob story to draw in those who may be sympathetic. Catfishers will often be the first person to engage in conversation. When they do, it may appear a bit scripted, generic, or prewritten. This is because catfishers will engage more than one person at a time. Other times when they converse with another person, you may see a number of grammatical errors. It is common for many scammers or catfishers to be in other countries and not speak the language they claim to speak as well as they think. If them seem to have a number of grammatical mistakes, this is often a sign they are catfishing.
How to Prove You are Not Being Catfished
As a relationship progresses, often catfishers will begin to talk on the phone. When they call, you might find the phone number does not match the state or region they claim to be in. However, this can be a hard one to determine, as many people use cell phones as their primary phone and often keep their number even as they move to other states. You can overcome this challenge by requesting a video call. If they refuse to do a video call they are most likely not the person you see on the profile picture. Even if they do a video call, unfortunately, it does not mean you are not being catfished. The only way to really prove you are not being catfished is to hire a private investigator to look into their background and see if they are telling the truth about who they are.
Private Investigator, Security Services & More in Greater Miami, Sunny Isles, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Weston, Plantation City & Miami Gardens Florida
It is important to protect yourself online and especially on dating sites. If you are worried about being catfished you can contact a private investigator. Advanced Private Investigator & Security of Miami, FL provides social media searches and more. Contact us today!
