Catfishing is nothing new, but it is gaining popularity all around the world. It is so popular that there is a TV show focused primarily on catfishing. If you are not familiar with what a catfish is (other than the fish), it is a term for a person who pretends to be someone they are not online. To catfish someone is to make them believe you are someone that you are not. This has placed a big importance on being cautious on social media as well as on dating websites. Pretending to be someone that you’re not online is very common in today’s day and age. On the other hand, how far people can take it is the scary part.

Creating A New Identity

It is easy to hide behind a computer screen or a phone and pretend you are someone you are not. The question is, how far can people take it before they get caught? Some people revolve their life around being someone they are not. They dedicate all their time and effort to keep up with their new personas, so that the person they are catfishing will not find out who they really are. Some catfish are extremely good at what they do and can keep up with their new persona for years. Others, not so much.

How To Find Out If Someone Is A Catfish?

These days, it is a lot easier to find out if someone is a catfish than it would have been years ago. With all of the technology out there today, it almost seems impossible to be catfished for more than a few weeks. Unfortunately, it does still happen. Here are a few signs for how to find out if someone is a catfish:

Signs Of A Catfish

• They won’t answer when you call
• They will not Facetime with you
• They will only communicate with you through text messages, pictures and social media
• They will always have an excuse to not meet up with you in person
• They may seem too good to be true
• They seem to develop deep feelings for you quickly
• They say their job causes them to travel too much to meet up
• They keep cancelling plans on you

Look out for these signs so being catfished does not happen to you.

Why Do People Catfish?

There is no simple answer as to why people catfish. Some people may believe it is funny while others may really believe they couldn’t meet someone unless they were someone else. This is where the conversation gets difficult. How can you tell if someone is catfishing to be hurtful, or because they have experienced hurt in the past? This is hard to know for sure, but in general you can tell by the reaction they have once they are caught.

How Are So Many People Being Catfished?

Everyone wants that special someone to fall in love with. When you are in a state of vulnerability and feel as though someone is truly in love with you, it is hard to face the facts. Catfish can be very persuasive in the way they talk to people and can be very convincing. When people believe in something so much and have their feelings involved they often look past the negative signs. It can be hard to accept the truth. The person you think you are talking to could actually be someone completely different.  

Is It Illegal To Catfish Someone?

Creating a persona online that is not you is currently not illegal. This could change in the future, but as of now they are not being unlawful by pretending to be someone they are not. This changes if there is an exchange of goods or money. If the catfish is getting close to someone to draw money from them, then the law may have to get involved. Don’t fall for a catfish, keep yourself and your money safe while talking to people online.

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