Are you looking for signs you are being catfished by someone online?
You found this really attractive person on social media and have been talking to them for a while. But you are highly suspicious that they are not what they portray to be.
Chances are you are being catfished… but you also don’t want to be rude and lose a potential friend or partner!
Well, don’t worry, these signs here will help you get to the truth in no time!
15 Signs You Are Being Catfished
Catfishing is the culture of luring people into friendships or romantic relationships online. It’s when someone online creates a false identity to take advantage of you.
While pop culture leads you to believe that catfishing is the onset of your rom-com journey, there is certainly nothing romantic about it.
So, to be safe, check for these signs in your online mate!
1. Your Relationship Is Moving Fast Forward
A catfish often comes in strong and fast as they want to reel you in quickly. After two or three chats, they might tell you they have fallen for you.
Some say they fell in love with you the moment they saw your profile picture or pictures in your feed.
If your relationship is progressing too quickly and they have already planned for marriage and babies, run as fast as you can. They just want to gain your trust and reach their goals quickly.
2. They Never Want To Talk On Call Or Video Chat
Request for a video or audio call, and a catfish will hesitate a lot!
They may say that their camera is broken or the cell battery is dead. Or they’ll say they have bad cell reception just to avoid talking to you.
If they always come up with the flimsiest excuses to avoid the call or FaceTime every time, chances are you are being catfished.
3. Meeting Is Absolute No-No
Now, this is a no-brainer. If they don’t want video chat, why would they wanna meet?
If you’re getting catfished, you will never meet this person in real life. Sure, they will make plans with you but will cancel at the end moment time and again.
They may come up with excuses like, ‘Sorry, got an urgent work call,’ ‘family issue,’ and stuff like that. If you can’t get hold of a person physically, that’s a sign of a catfish.
4. Their Life Sounds Too Good To Be True
Catfishes are mostly people with low self-esteem who feel driven by feigning accomplishments. They seize every opportunity they get to feel admired using fake personas.
They will mostly talk about their wealth, adventure stories, past relationships, basically their picture-perfect lives.
Notice if they tell you all the wild stories that sound way too exciting. If yes, chances are they are catfishing you to manipulate you and win you over.
One red flag is that this person will ask about every nook and corner of your life. But they’ll refuse to share details about their location, job, family, etc.
Most catfishers provide inaccurate information or hide things. Even if they share any info, the more you talk to them, they might slip the reality to you. After that, they’ll go MIA.
This is when you can be pretty sure they were not honest and decent.
6. Their Photos Are Mostly Professional
Since you have not seen the person you are talking to in real life, pictures can make or break a deal.
But when you go through their social media, you find professional-grade photos like headshots. They have never shared a casual selfie with you.
Regular social media users upload candids and images with friends, family, dog, garden, etc. If this person’s profile seems more like a job profile, get the hint!
7. They Do Not Have Many Friends Or Followers
Catfishers use fake profiles, personas, names, and photos. They literally copy the life of another person to appear appealing.
But they can’t have their real friends or followers on their accounts – lest their identity gets tracked. They also can’t have the same circle as the actual person they’re using information from!
Thus, you are being catfished if the person you are talking to does not have many friends or followers despite the account being pretty old.
8. There Are Gaps In Their Stories
One way to identify catfish is by noticing the details in their stories.
Since they are always lying, when their guard is down, their stories won’t match up with what they usually tell you.
Ask questions to see if the information is legit or not. A catfisher will either fumble or get irritated as their actions backfire.
9. They Demand Financial Help
“My sibling is admitted to the hospital, can you lend me some money?”
This sounds like a very convincing reason, but it’s a clear sign you are being catfished.
Catfishers will seize every opportunity to request financial help from you. And once you start helping them financially, they will keep coming back for more.
10. You Guys Seem To Be A Match Made In Heaven
When you are dealing with a catfisher, you feel it’s the perfect relationship you always dreamed of.
They share the same hobbies, speak the same love language, and know all the ways to get you weak on your knees right from the start.
If someone is incredibly romantic and forces you to commit even before meeting, you might want to rethink.
11. Your Friends Are Suspicious
Though you are blinded by perfect romanticism, your friends are smart. Since they are looking from the outside, they can immediately smell something fishy.
Once you tell your friends about this new match, they won’t be as excited as you want them to be.
This is possibly because your friends are suspicious of this being a catfish and it is time you should listen.
12. They Are Oddly Good Looking
Well, people can be good-looking and there is no harm in that. But if they are so confident about their looks, then why would they not come up for a video chat or meet you in person?
When you see oddly satisfying profile photos, but they don’t want to reveal their true self, you should consider the warning signs.
13. They Never Change Profile Pictures
Regular folks on the internet like to click millions of pictures and change their profile pictures more often.
But a catfish can only access limited photos of the person they are claiming to be. Hence, they need to play strategically and use the photos sparingly to have enough resources left until you are fully convinced.
If you are talking to someone who rarely or never changes their profile images, there is your catfish right there!
14. They Only Use One Social Media
In this digital age, people have accounts on multiple social media platforms. Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram are some of the top used ones.
A prime sign of a catfish is that they’ll have an account only in one platform. You can’t find them anywhere else. Even if you ask them for other social handles, they’ll have some excuse for it!
15. Your Gut Tells You It’s Wrong
Your inner voice knows you better than anyone else. If something about your new online pal feels off, pay attention to the feeling. You might get a feeling that something is wrong with their profile picture, social media handle, or their stories do not add up.
Your intuition is the greatest sign in such situations!
A word from ThePleasantRelationship
In the era of social media and the picturesque lives of influencers, it is pretty easy to be catfished. You might want to fill the void in your own life by meeting someone online.
But be sure to look for these signs to stay one step ahead of the con game and protect your mental, emotional, and financial health.
All hope is not lost. Stay smart, stay safe!
Are you interested to know more about ‘Signs There Will Be No Second Date’ then click here?
