The Catfish You DON'T Want to Catch

Online relationships, whether five or five thousand miles away, have many things in common. I have discussed a few of these things in my previous blog post. One of the factors I have only briefly covered are Catfish. No, not the ray-rinned fish that finds itself in a lot of dinner plates. I'm talking about a person who assumes a false identity in order to lure in unsuspecting victims. A Catfish can be a young guy friend you met five minutes ago, or a serious partner you have been with for two years. Catfish can be twelve, twenty-five, or eighty-two. I won't go into serious detail, as I am sure the majority of the population are aware of Catfish and the dangers they may pose. I say may, because if you have ever watched the show Catfish on MTV, you will see that a few of the Catfish had only lied about themselves due to insecurities, but are still interested in a relationship. That is not to say that all Catfish are like this. Some are life threatening and must be avoided at all cost. If you are talking to somebody online, keep an eye out on any red flags that may indicate they're not who they say they are. 
Here are common red flags that indicate you have caught a Catfish:

• What does their profile picture look like? Is it a picture of Brad Paisley or Jessica Simpson? If it is, that's a red flag
• Does their profile give hints that they are the perfect human being? If so, that's a red flag
• An example profile of this:
• Name: John Doe
• Age: 25
• Weight: 220 pounds
• Height: 6'2"
• Body Type: Extremely athletic with ripped abs!
• Hair Color: Blonde
• Eye Color: Sparkling blue eyes like the waters of Florida
• Skin Color: Perfectly tan
• Personality: I love socializing, drinking champagne, chilling out at home with Netflix, dogs and cats, and people. I have no issues with anger, I don't smoke or drink. I don't do drugs. I have a 4.5 GPA and have graduated from Harvard with a Masters Degree in Sexiness. I treat every woman like a princess and shoot anybody who threatens her! I love chick flicks as well, and I will help out with housework anyway I can! I have muscles that will make you shudder. 
• Okay this may have been an over-exaggerated profile, but he sounds like the perfect guy, right? Unfortunately, he has one of the many profiles that is just to good to be true. 
• Has the person given poor excuses to not come and meet you in person, or has refused to attempt Skyping you? This is definitely a red flag, as the person does not want you to see the real them. 
• Here's a list of questionable excuses
• "I work so hard, all day! I can't find the time!" (Their profile indicates that they are a part-time cook at Taco Bell)
• "Maybe someday!" (This is the 53rd time they've said this. Yes, you counted)
• "I am sorry, I can't, my brother is having issues and I just can't!" (What issues? Oh, and your profile indicates you're a single child)
• "I'm too busy with my mother, who has stage 2 cancer, and I must be there for her!" (They told you five months ago that they were adopted)
• Has the person asked for money? This is a major red flag. They will give you open-ended threats to encourage your investments, such as "If you love me, you'll give me your money!" or "My dad will die if you don't give me $200,000 each week!" As soon as you are asked to send the person money, get out of there. Because, not only are they trying to steal your money, but they may be trying to steal your account details as well, which could lead to the nasty crimes called credit card fraud or identity theft, and we don't want that.
• You just met Gina online, and she asks you to marry her. What? This is a red flag too, watch out for those who jump into serious relationships right away
• If they ever do call you, pay attention to their voice. Does it sound like a male masking a female voice? Does that "eighteen-year-old" on the other end of the line have a voice that sounds a little too much like your own dad's? If their voice sounds off or masked, that's a red flag. 

These are common Catfish attributes. You could check to make sure of their authenticity by perhaps doing a reverse Google search on their profile photo, or even do a background check. Look up their name on Google. If their name comes up on social medias that show different photos, that indicates you may have caught a Catfish, since Catfish sometimes steal other people's profile images and make it their own. They may even steal the name too, hence putting the person in question's reputation on the line. 

Be sure to educate yourself, children, family, or friends about Catfish. You don't want your granny sending $600,000 to the "poor old man whose family is dying" (unless it is a legitimate charitable organization, of course). Stay clear of the murky waters. 

Here is a good song that describes a similar situation: