Are You Being Catfished?

While it can be a wonderful place for social media, the internet can also be a strange and difficult place to be sometimes and not everyone you ‘meet’ online is going to be genuine.

The thing is, it can be super hard to prove that you’re being catfished but if you do have any suspicions that somebody is either catfishing you or using your likeness to catfish others then you do need to take things further – whilst protecting yourself and others.

Of course, online scams are becoming prevalent and cybersecurity is something that we keep hearing more about, now with companies also sharing their security tips for when you’re online too.

If, for any reason, you believe that you are being catfished when you’re talking to somebody, you should always keep records of everything that you receive from the person in question.

This is especially the case if they’re asking you for money or to send photos.

You should also consider the possibility that somebody is using your likeness to catfish others and that can be done either by taking your photos and manipulating them or buying into deepfake scams.

Please keep in mind that there are some signs that you need to look out for and below, we’ve got the list of those signs to keep in your mind.

They’re not picking up the phone. Whilst we always recommend not giving out your details, if you do end up speaking to somebody online and they have given you their number, they should answer when you call. It’s a common sign of catfishing when someone won’t answer you as anyone can fake their identity and this is why we always recommend protecting yourself and others – and not speaking to random people when you’re online.
No followers and there’s no friends. If somebody has added you on to their social media pages or even through your work e-mail but they don’t have any visible followers of friends themselves then you must take a look at that social media account. Is it a relatively new account? There’s a chance it’s a catfish – one way to spot them is the account has very limited information, limited photos and a recently created profile. Always have a look and do your research.
The story doesn’t add up. If you’re talking to somebody online and you have started to notice contradictions in what they have said to you about their life, there is a chance that it could all be lies. Please be careful when you speak to others through social media networks or forums. If you start to suspect anybody as a catfish and they’re not answering questions or avoiding topics, start to limit the contact.
Using someone’s photos. You can have a look and conduct your searches for photos that someone is using and it’s a good way to see whether someone if providing you with true or incorrect information. Everything can feel too good to be true so it’s always worth having a little look to make sure other images are not being used to portray someone.
Your family has been contacted by “you”. This is a good way to spot whether someone is using your details or someone is catfishing you. Using your likeness – so much so that the person reaches out to your family and acts like they are you. This is why we always recommend limiting the information you share online and with who.
They won’t meet you in real life. Another good reason to not meet people who you come across on social media or online. They may be portraying themselves as someone else or using the information from you to get someone else’s attention. They will be reluctant to meet you in real life so if you do come across this behaviour please do report it.

Being catfished is definitely no joke and it can make you feel vulnerable. You need to be incredibly careful when you’re speaking to others online and always limit the information that you provide.