Think you\u2019re being catfished? Catfishing is slang for being duped into a false, online, romantic relationship. Usually the scammer wants money and they aren\u2019t afraid to ask for it…after they\u2019ve stolen your heart. Sadly, the anonymity of the Internet brings out the worst in people and if you\u2019re looking for a partner online, you could land right in a trap. Here\u2019s how to know if you\u2019re being tricked into a fake relationship.<\/p>\n
If the person you\u2019re talking to like everything – especially everything <\/span>you like <\/span><\/i>– be careful. A catfish loves everything you love, no matter what. Also look out for someone that is too generic. Are they fans of everything? Are they athletic <\/span>and<\/i> <\/span>nerdy? Are their musical tastes all over the map? Do they like every popular movie?<\/p>\n No one is into everything, unless they\u2019re trying to weasel their way into your wallet via your heart. <\/span><\/p>\n This isn\u2019t always a warning sign, but if someone is into you they will find a way to make time to meet you in person. If they say their job takes them all over the world, especially to places where scams are common: Africa, Russia, the Middle East, and South America – be very wary. Insist you meet in person before things get serious. Speaking of things getting serious\u2026<\/p>\n You might be flattered if an online relationship is moving quickly – maybe you\u2019re connecting, you feel needed, you feel secure, but be reasonable. If the person you\u2019re talking to starts getting serious very quickly, they might be a catfish. <\/span><\/p>\n Here it is – the telltale sign. A catfish\u2019s ultimate goal is to get money from you. If anyone asks you for money, or to \u2018store\u2019 a piece of expensive equipment, furniture or car, and especially if they want you to send money to someone else then you\u2019ve met a catfish. Time to call things off ASAP. No one should ask you for money if they\u2019re trying to spark up a romance and they should <\/span>never<\/i><\/strong> <\/span>ask you for money if they haven\u2019t met you in person.<\/p>\n Look at your social media profiles – you\u2019ve got friends, coworkers, family and classmates there and they\u2019re friends with you too. Catfish don\u2019t have real friends, and they won\u2019t have honest, real-life conversation on their Facebook wall or Twitter feed. If their friends all look like stock photo models – they are.<\/p>\n Want to put your mind at ease? Do a quick people search. Plug in their name, email address or phone number and you\u2019ll see their social profiles (including ones they didn\u2019t tell you about); their known addresses, marriage \/ divorce records and any lingering criminal records.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re dealing with a catfish, chances are you\u2019ll find absolutely nothing. Maybe a few social profiles that are filled with fake friends. Why? Because they aren\u2019t real – they\u2019re a catfish trying to bait you. It\u2019s easy to get catfished<\/a>, but it\u2019s avoidable – trust your instincts, never give out your financial information, and if you really want to know for sure, check their public records<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Think you\u2019re being catfished? Catfishing is slang for being duped into a false, online, romantic relationship. Usually the scammer wants money and they aren\u2019t afraid to ask for it…after they\u2019ve…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":21876,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[616,614],"tags":[158],"class_list":["post-13017","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dating-advice-how-to","category-safety","tag-online-dating"],"yoast_head":"\nThey Travel A Lot<\/h2>\n
They Are Really Serious Really Soon<\/h2>\n
They Ask For Money<\/h2>\n
No Friends or Family<\/h2>\n
Find Out For Sure<\/h2>\n