If you have never been dating online, you may be wondering one thing when you see this title: What does catfish mean?
What Is Catfishing?
WhatIs has describe the meaning of catfish simple enough as “creating a false identity online“, which is common on social media like Facebook, Twitter or dating apps and sites like Tinder.
But why does people catfish online?
We would love to be able to answer this question, but in fact every catfisher has his or her own purpose.
Sometimes it’s for the pleasure they get from dating someone that they couldn’t as being themselves.
Sometimes it’s for tricking people for money, nude photos or even worse.
In most cases, finding out you’ve been cyber-dating a catfish is disappointing and irritating. But in some extreme situations, online catfish can get you into some massive troubles.
Here are 10 most horrifying catfish online dating stories:
Signs of an online catfish dater
As you are aware of the danger of getting bait by a catfish, is there a way to avoid that in the first place?
Here are some common red flags that the one you think you know is actually tricking you.
1. Never on live
With millions of live broadcast going on social media every minute, it’s pretty skeptical if your potential date only has static photos in their profile.
If you ask them to live chat but gets rejected with some lame excuses over and over again, there maybe some hidden reasons.
2. Picture-perfect profile or super stars
As an ordinary human being, it’s normal for us to have some under-satisfying photos of ourselves on our Facebook timeline or in the tagged photos of Instagram.
But online catfish doesn’t have a real life. So it’s relatively easy for them to keep their profile polished to perfection.
Also if they have really attractive photos that seem to be taken in a professional studio, be alert.
These superstar profiles are always the major red flag of a catfish. You can download their photos and upload to Google photo search engine; you may be amazed to find out who “your date” actually is.
3. The bots’ alert
In 2015, media revealed an online catfish scandal.
A so-called pop singer with a large fan base on Twitter and Youtube is a faked persona.
In the interview with Buzzfeed, a Tumblr user claimed that his research into the singer’s Twitter account had led him to believe that she was a fake celebrity because almost all of her followers are bots.
If the one you’ve been talking to online has a relatively large amount of followers and most of them look like bots, you should be alert before giving out any personal information or money.
4. Very little (or No) friends or followers
If you meet someone online that you are not so sure about, check their social profiles.
Catfishers tend to build up false profiles on Facebook, Instagram and more.
If they don’t have real social connections or merely interact with anyone, there’s a big chance that the account may not be legit.
6 Ways to find a genuine date online without getting catfished
If you rely heavily on the Internet to find the love of your life, here are some tips to finding yourself a real date:
1. Use a trust-worthy service.
There’s a reason for paid dating service to exist.
Usually, catfishers would not invest in paid dating sites. They will most likely stick to the free ones or social media to look for their next targets.
Authentic dating service like eHarmony has a screening process for each new member. If you just register a free account that doesn’t pass the screening yet, you cannot search and talk to other members.
In this way, the “real people” have a lower chance of getting catfished or spammed.
Free members get to receive match recommendations according to the info they put in and choose to upgrade or not judging by the experience.
3. Write a compelling dating profile
When we don’t have a lot of options to choose from, it’s so easy to go for the only possible “date” we have at the moment. But when there are plenty of fish, it’s so much easier to keep a clear mind and choose the one that really fits.
That’s why creating a compelling dating profile that showcases who you are and your charism is so important. Blurry profile pictures, inappropriate self-intro can all murder a potential date. (like this one down here)
To write a perfect dating profile, it’s essential to choose a well-edited and clear picture. It’s equally important to who you are as a person and what may charm whoever is reading this. If you can add in your own humor in the words without overdoing it, you’ll be getting a lot more dates than you expected.
Writing the perfect online dating profile can be challenging. If you are still experimenting through trial and error, find a dating specialist on Fiverr who can edit your profile for $5. If that helps you to find a genuine date and potentially a relationship, consider that 5 bucks well spent.
3. Read and investigate
This may sound crazy. But it’s actually easier than you think.
Don’t just rely on the profiles on dating sites. If they have linked social accounts, check them out as well.
If you are suspicious about the one you’re talking to, Google his name or profile picture, verify the existence of the company they claim to work for. The information should be able to tell if he or she’s a real person or a catfish.
4. Be patient
Don’t give out any personal information or make any transfer when you barely know the one on the other side of the screen.
To protect yourself, never go on a date in private places with someone that you don’t trust enough.
Keep talking online or live chat to know better about him/her before going out on a date.
Related reading: 6 best locations for first dates
5. Get the number and talk on the phone
Try to have these “small talks” on the phone before actually going out for a first date.
Being able to hear each other’s voice is a vital stage of connecting and building trust.
We’ve all heard stories that guys pretend to be women seducing the other guy. By talking to them on the phone, you can avoid this kind of drama.
6. Be yourself
Treat others in the way that you want to be treated. Be open and honest about who you are as a person.
If you don’t want to be caught by a catfish, don’t be a catfish yourself by putting false information on your profile.
Love yourself as you are so others can love you genuinely.
To know more, here’s an infographic of everything you need to know about the meaning of catfish and how to keep yourself away:
image source: Tumblr