The Dangers of Catfishing and How to Avoid It
Published on April 27, 2013
With the increase in popularity of online dating and its use, there has also been an increase in mistreatment of online dating and its users. Online dating has potential for really helping people connect and making them happier. However, as with most things there are people out there that want to use things like online dating improperly in attempts to hurt people or further their own interests.
This practice has become known as “catfishing” and it is becoming a real problem within the online dating community. The dangers of catfishing and its threats are prevalent and if you want to try to find happiness through online dating you must be aware of them and know how to avoid them.
Background of Catfishing
While the goal of online dating is noble and it does indeed help many people find happiness, it has also brought about some unintended negative aspects. This is how catfishing came into existence.
Catfishing is a term used for when people create false identities for social media platforms or online dating profiles. This is usually done to deceptively pursue online romances for some personal gain or other interest at the expense of the person they are catfishing.
Catfishing became a popular term after it was used as the title for the 2010 documentary Catfish. The success of this movie led to an MTV series that focused specifically on different catfishing cases around the country. This series exposed how rampant catfishing was and raised the awareness of catfishing tremendously. However, it was another even that really brought catfishing into the limelight.
A spotlight was shown on catfishing during Notre Dame football player Manti Te’o’s catfishing scandal. There was a lot of controversy surrounding this story and it brought national attention to the issue of catfishing. The fact that such a high profile celebrity could be the victim of a catfishing scheme made people realize that they were themselves at risk.
Dangers of Catfishing
Catfishing is certainly not a victimless crime and there are a lot of problems that are caused by it.
The most obvious danger of catfishing is the danger of the emotional damage it can cause. Catfishing is so dangerous because it involves all the raw emotions associated with love and relationships. The person who is the victim of the catfishing ploy is usually emotionally invested in the person that they believe they are talking to. It can be emotionally devastating for the victim when they find out that the person they think they have fallen in love with does not exist or is not who they say they are.
Catfishing is also dangerous because of the personal and public embarrassment it can cause. While the level of embarrassment may not be as public as it was for someone famous like Manti Te’o, it is still enough to damage someone’s personal life. This can lead to further torture for the victim as it may cause them to be ridiculed by their peers.
These issues that are caused by catfishing are so dangerous because of the damage they can cause. The damage can often be magnified by the fragile state that a person is usually in because of the trust and love they feel for the person they think they are corresponding with. The repercussions of the emotional and psychological damage caused by catfishing can be severe and can lead to depression or even suicide.
How to Avoid Being Catfished
While the threat of being catfished is ever present and the effects of it can be tragic, it does not mean it is not possible to find a happy and loving relationship online without becoming the victim of catfishing. There a few different ways to avoid catfishing and some things you can do to protect yourself.
The first thing you can do to protect yourself is to run a background check. As soon as you meet someone online and things are starting to get more serious, it may be a good idea to run a background check. This type of check will not only confirm that the person actually exists, but it can also give you information on anything that could potentially be a concern.
Another way to detect a catfish scammer is to run one of their supposed pictures through the program TinEye. This is a reverse image search program which will tell you where the image originated. If it is not the person that you are speaking to then you know you’re dealing with a fraud.
Finally, the ultimate way to ensure the person you are talking to is actually who they say they are, is to push for a webcam conversation. While it is not suggested to use this tactic at the beginning of a relationship as many people are uncomfortable with this or may not have a camera. However, there is a certain point in a relationship where it is serious enough that if the person can’t meet you in person, then the very least they could do is get a webcam and have a conversation with you. Face time with iPhones is an easy way to do this as well. If the person continuously makes excuses for why they can’t have such a conversation, then you are most likely dealing with a phony.
While it may be difficult to detect a catfish scheme, there are ways you can do so and tools you can use to protect yourself. Although catfishing is a serious problem with serious consequences, it should not deter you from trying online dating. If you are careful and take the proper steps to protect yourself then it is quite possible to find a loving and fulfilling relationship online.
Author: Brad
Brad initially struggled with online dating but over time became quite successful using it. He met his wife using online dating and has been giving advice and helping people improve their results since 2007. He has written a Free Online Dating Guide to help others find success with online dating. You can learn more about his personal experience using online dating and running this website here.
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