Catfish
The Sunday Feed
Catfishing means someone is using a fake identity to trick you into believing you’re in a real online friendship or romance with them.
Once you trust the catfish, they may: embarrass, humiliate or upset you by sharing your secrets online or revealing to others that you fell for their trick.
After some time of establishing a relationship, the scammer will begin to discuss investments, usually involving cryptocurrency, with the target pressured to invest.
Global Losses to Scammers Exceed $1 Trillion as 1-in-4 Lose money to fraudsters. Now this is if we consider the cases that have been reported. I can bet that this could be below 30% of people experiencing fraud.
So why do people become victims of these types of activities. Here are some reasons:
· Poor self-esteem
· Depression or anxiety
· To hide their identity
· Targeted revenge
· Targeted harassment
· To explore their sexuality
In Australia alone, Romance scams see $40 million lost in 2023. ACCC’ Scamwatch received 484 reports of this scam in 2023, leading to “significant emotional and financial harm to Australians”.
The scam works with the target and scammer meeting via dating apps or websites, leading to messages eventually being asked to move to Google Hangouts, WeChat, Line or, WhatsApp.
ACCC deputy chair Catriona Lowe said “Scammers are cold-hearted criminals who are looking to exploit people’s emotions to take their money.”
Spotting a catfish can be tricky, but there are several red flags to watch for. Here are the top 10 ways to spot a catfish:
1. Unrealistic Photos
They often use overly perfect, model-like pictures or images that seem professionally taken. You can use reverse image searches (like Google Images or TinEye) to verify if the photo is stolen from elsewhere.
2. Limited Photos
A catfish might have only a few photos on their profile, sometimes just one or two, and they may avoid sharing candid or more personal pictures of themselves.
3. Avoids Video Calls or Meetings
If someone consistently makes excuses to avoid video chats or meeting in person, they might be hiding their true identity.
4. Inconsistent Stories
They often have inconsistent stories, vague background information, or contradict themselves when talking about their life or experiences.
5. Fast Emotional Intensity
Catfish tend to rush into romantic or deep emotional conversations, often saying “I love you” or discussing serious relationships very quickly.
6. Strange Communication Patterns
They may have erratic communication, send messages at odd hours, or take long gaps in communication with vague reasons.
7. Too Good to Be True
Their profile or conversations may make them seem perfect — extremely wealthy, exceptionally good-looking, or having an exciting, glamorous life.
8. Reluctance to Provide Proof
When asked to provide more photos, video, or other proof of their identity, they might dodge the request or send excuses instead of actual evidence.
9. Unverifiable Social Media Presence
They either don’t have social media accounts or have very few followers, friends, or posts. Their online activity may appear limited or strangely curated.
10. Requests for Money or Favors
If they ask for money, gifts, or financial help — often citing an emergency or hardship — it’s a major red flag that they could be scamming you.
If multiple signs appear, it’s best to trust your instincts and proceed with caution!
Every company uses the cliché, “We are family.” So, if this is true would you not be discussing topics like this, once in a month in your meetings. I bet you should!
John Khalkho: CEO — Dolores Recruitment